Unexpected
by britchick
Summary: It's Joan's senior year, and you know who hasn't been around since Joan was in hospital. But something happens that changes things for everyone Grace is pregnant and it doesn't take a genius to figure out who the dad is.
1. Chapter 1

a/n: I don't own this. You know that and I know that. Read and review, please. I'm not above begging.

Chapter One  
  
It was three weeks until Christmas vacation. In this, her senior year, Joan Girardi had chosen her classes by an unusual method. She had taken the list of classes and then signed up for the first class in each section. This was a family tradition and how Kevin had chosen his classes, and how Joan had chosen her classes except for when a hallucination had told her to take AP Chemistry. Joan smiled at the thought. She still couldn't believe that she, a totally not crazy person, had actually believed that God was talking to her for almost a year.  
  
"Thank whatever that's over," she muttered to herself.  
  
"Hey Girardi, talking to yourself again? Sure the little men in white coats aren't on their way with the jacket that makes you hug yourself?" said Grace who was sat on her left.  
  
"Nice." A month ago, Joan would have refused to acknowledge her best friend when she made a joke like that. Now though, Joan felt like she was finally over it.  
  
Joan looked down at her notes and tried to listen to the teacher. This was the one place in which her fabulous system had let her down. This year the school had listed the classes in alphabetical order, so for science, she was stuck in AP Biology. But, she silently admitted to herself, at least she was with Adam and Grace. And she had Luke in the class too, so she could steal his notebook when it was totally necessary.  
  
Finally Joan's obsessive clock watching paid off and the bell rang signifying the end of another mind numbing class, and the start of lunch. Joan packed her books into her backpack and realized that she had only taken notes on about a fourth of the class.  
  
"Hey guys. I kinda slept through that class. Can I get your notebook to copy tonight? I'll have it back in pristine condition tomorrow morning."  
  
"Cha, like I make notes" Adam reached his arm around Joan's waist and kissed her cheek. "I have to go. Price thinks I'm stoned again. He wants to check my sobriety. Again."  
  
"Hey Rove," Adam, who had begun to walk away turned to look at Grace. "Sobriety. I think that's the longest word you've ever used."  
  
Adam smiled and walked away.  
  
"So anyway, Grace, notebook?" Joan went back to her search.  
  
"Uh, Girardi. Why not just get your brother's? We're going to use his for the final anyway."  
  
"Ok, one I really don't want to ask him for his help right now. He's been acting like even more of a freak for like a month. And two, like I can understand the science geek language he writes in. I need your translation."  
  
"Ok, sure, whatever as long as you shut up." Grace pulled her notebook from her locker and handed it to Joan. "Now lunch? And can we talk about anything but your geek brother!"  
  
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It was after eight before Joan finally sat down to do her AP Bio homework. It didn't take her too long, and thanks to Grace she copied the notes that she had missed. But just as she was about to finish she reached over to grab the cup of hot chocolate that her mother had made her. As she reached across the kitchen table where she was working, she accidentally knocked Grace's notebook onto the floor. As it fell to the floor, a slip of paper fell out of it.  
  
Joan didn't exactly mean to look at the paper, but it fell face up and she couldn't help but see it was a reminder for a doctor's appointment the next afternoon. Joan wasn't even sure she would have realized what it was, but it was from the same doctor's office that the Girardi's went to.  
  
Joan picked up the paper and tucked it back into Grace's notebook so she wouldn't loose it.  
  
"Joan honey," Helen Girardi walked into the kitchen. "I have to run to the grocery store. Do you need anything?"  
  
"I don't think so Mom."  
  
"Want to come along. You need the practice driving in the snow."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Ok, sweetie. I'll go find my keys and you go grab a coat. It's really cold out."  
  
"Mom! I'm 18 years old. I can decide if I need a coat or not!"  
  
"It's a parent thing. I'm not capable of accepting you're a grown-up."  
  
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Despite the fact it was almost 10pm, the grocery store was still pretty busy. While her Mom went on some kind of random hunt for a particular brand of tea she had seen on a cooking show, Joan decided to go look at the magazines by the checkout lines.  
  
For some reason, the supermarket tabloids had become a kind of comfort for her. It kind of helped her see that there were people way crazier than she had ever been. At least she had never claimed that she had been abducted by aliens or impregnated by the ghost of Elvis. As delusions had gone, she saw hers as pretty tam. And she had been sick with Lyme disease the entire time, Joan reminded herself. So her craziness had been part of a physical illness not a mental one.  
  
"It wasn't craziness at all Joan," a voice behind her said.  
  
"No, no, no, no, no, this is so not happening." Even before she turned around she knew who it was, and as she tentatively did turn, she saw someone she had never expected or wanted to see ever again. It was cute guy God.  
  
Joan glared at the deity. "You are not real! I was sick and now I must be like sick again because you are NOT real!" Joan's voice rose to a panicked squeak.  
  
"And yet here I am. I've always been here, and I'm glad you've moved forward enough to let yourself see that. You just have to let yourself believe."  
  
"See, that's the bit I have a problem with, because I'm crazy, I'm sick, whatever. But check this out, you don't exist, and even if you do, you definitely don't talk to me"  
  
"Joan, just relax and let yourself believe," cute guy God repeated. "And if you can't do that then let this delusion make a suggestion. Go with Grace to her doctor's appointment tomorrow."  
  
"OK, now I know I'm crazy. I don't think so. I'm not going to invade my best friend's privacy on the orders of a figment of my imagination."  
  
"They're not orders Joan. They never were."  
  
"Fine suggestions, hints, whatever."  
  
"Just think about it Joan," He said as he turned around and walked away.  
  
Joan ran her fingers through her hair. "There is no way this is happening again," she muttered to herself.  
  
"No way what is happening sweetie?" Joan had been so caught up in herself; she hadn't noticed her mother join her.  
  
"Oh, nothing Mom."  
  
"Who was that boy you were talking to? I don't remember seeing him at school."  
  
Joan's eyes widened. Her mother had seen him too.  
  
"He's, uhh, just someone I used to talk to sometimes." Not exactly a lie.  
  
"Ok, well I'm done here. Are you ready to go?"  
  
"Sure Mom. Can you drive? I'm a little tired."  
  
"Sure sweetie."  
  
Joan handed the car keys to her mother and they started towards the car. As they walked Joan lost herself in thought. Joan really just wanted to believe that she was sick again, or crazy, but she couldn't. Her mom had seen Him too. So that just left one option. One she really didn't want to consider, because it meant she had to figure out a way to go with Grace to the doctor's office without Grace killing her.  
  
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Breakfast in the Girardi house was it's usual chaos with everyone moving in different directions at different speeds.  
  
"Joan honey?"  
  
"Yeah Mom?" Joan looked up from her cereal.  
  
"Do you have any plans for right after school? I have some errands that I have to get done today, but I have to set up the freshman art exhibit. Can you give me a hand with one of them?"  
  
"Sure, I'll take the errands. I don't exactly have a good history with art exhibits. What do you need?"  
  
"I'll make you a list. Come pick it up from me after last period. I'll give you the car keys then too. Your father can pick me up later." Helen started to sort through a pile of papers on the counter. "Oh, and Joan? You need to go by the doctor's office. They rang yesterday to arrange some repeat blood work. I said today would be fine, is that ok?"  
  
"Sure," Joan grimaced at the thought of another blood test. They had become a three monthly event since her diagnosis with Lyme disease. Then her eyes widened. The doctor's office. She had a perfect excuse to go with Grace.  
  
Before Joan had any time to wonder if there was more to this than a cosmic coincidence, Luke finally walked into the kitchen. Even though he was normally the first one to get up in the morning, for the last month or so Luke had not been acting like himself. He got up late, didn't eat much, and weirdest of all, he had failed to turn in the last two assignments for AP Bio. Even though they were more than a little worried by this behavior, Helen and Will had decided to give Luke the space he seemed to need. But three weeks on, he was still acting strangely.  
  
"Hey man," Kevin called to his little brother. "Want a pop-tart?"  
  
Luke barely acknowledged him, and headed right to the coffee pot.  
  
"Luke honey, are you sure you don't want something to eat?" Helen held up a banana to her youngest son.  
  
"No, just coffee. And before you start Mom, I shaved, I can have coffee." Luke filled up a travel mug, then grabbed his book bag and walked out of the house.  
  
"Is it just me, or is the freak even weirder than yesterday?"  
  
"Joan," Helen said sharply. "Don't talk about your brother that way." She paused. "Are you sure none of you know what's wrong?"  
  
Will, Kevin and Joan just shrugged and carried on eating.  
  
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Neither Grace, nor Adam were in any of Joan's morning classes, so she wasn't surprised to find her boyfriend and best friend waiting for her at her locker before lunch. Adam smiled and reached out to curl his hand around Joan's.  
  
"Hey guys," Joan greeted them. "So, lunch?"  
  
"Thanks-you Girardi, that was the general idea. Now give me my Bio notebook. I have to do my homework in study hall."  
  
"Sure," Joan dug around in her locker. "It's right here. And Grace, I'm totally not invading you privacy but..." Joan paused.  
  
"Why do I not like any sentence that begins like that? Ok, go on."  
  
"Ok, well, I accidentally knocked you notebook on the floor and the reminder for your doctor's appointment fell out. I totally wouldn't mention it, but I have to go too, so I just wanted to know if you needed a ride?"  
  
"As unwelcome as your usual forays into my privacy are, that would actually be good. My dad makes me have a damn annual physical. I guess the health benefits for servants of God are pretty good."  
  
"Ok, great. I have to pick up the car keys from my Mom after last period so we can meet at her classroom."  
  
"Great!" Grace repeated sarcastically and started down the corridor towards the cafeteria, with Joan and Adam trailing behind her.  
  
{}{}{}  
  
It was the last 10 minutes of lunch and while Grace had gone to the library to start her bio homework, Adam and Joan had found an empty classroom to get a few moments of privacy.  
  
When Joan broke what had quickly become a passionate kiss, they were both breathing hard. Joan rested her head on Adam's shoulder and whispered, "I love you." It was far from the first time she had said it, but it still made her stomach jump when she realized that she not only said it, but she really meant it. She could tell from the quiet smile on Adam's face that he felt the same.  
  
"I miss the roof, yo. But there's gotta be a foot of snow up there at the moment. Not so much fun huh?"  
  
Joan didn't answer, lost too far in her own thoughts.  
  
"Jane?"  
  
"Do you think I'm crazy?"  
  
"Whoa, where did that come from?" Adam smiled. "Jane, you are the only one that makes sense to me. But then we hang out with Grace so..."  
  
'"Thanks," Joan pushed Adam playfully. "I mean what I told you when I was in the hospital." Joan looked down at her feet; not wanting to see what she was sure would be laughter.  
  
"Jane, you were sick, not crazy."  
  
"But what if I said," Joan paused. "What if I told you He talked to me again?"  
  
"Did He?"  
  
Joan nodded, still refusing to look Adam in the eye.  
  
"Then I believe you. You're not sick now, and you're not crazy so I guess you're telling the truth."  
  
"You mean that?" Joan held Adam's gaze.  
  
"Jane, I know you're not crazy, and you don't lie to me. So if He talks to you then I guess you're just more special than anyone gets to see."  
  
Joan smiled through the tears that had suddenly sprung to her eyes. She kissed Adam softly, with love not passion. Trying to get him to understand what he meant to her.  
  
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The doctor's office was crowded, with about 10 other people waiting. But Grace was called in almost immediately after they signed in, so Joan took a seat and flicked through a 4 month old copy of People Magazine. She had to wait for about 20 minutes before the Physicians Assistant came to get her.  
  
Joan took a seat in the examination room. She took off her jacket, rolled up her sleeve and waited for the inevitable.  
  
"No Joan. The needle is not the size of a harpoon and I'm not going to take half your blood."  
  
'Oh, God"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Actually, that was taking your name in vain. What do you want?"  
  
PA God was a dark haired woman who looked to be in her late twenties.  
  
"I just wanted to remind you why you're here." PA God took a rubber cuff and tied it around Joan's arm, a few inches above the elbow. "Ok Joan. Squeeze you hand into a fist and open it a few times for me."  
  
Joan did as she was told, then looked away as the needle was stuck in her arm. Still looking in the opposite direction Joan spoke.  
  
"I don't get it. I had to be here, Grace had to be here, so why the big deal about me going with her?"  
  
"You would have missed her. She would have been called to see the doctor before you arrived and then left before you were done."  
  
"Ok, for you, that was amazingly clear, but still, why?"  
  
"Just remember Joan, it's important to pay attention when someone does something unusual as well as when they don't do something usual."  
  
"And we're back to the riddles. Thanks."  
  
"Just do what you can Joan, I don't expect anything else." PA God finished taking the second vial of blood and then stuck a band-aid on Joan's arm. "You can go now."  
  
Joan was ushered out into the reception area. Almost instantly Joan saw Grace sitting in the corner. She looked almost gray, and she was just sitting and staring into space.  
  
"Grace? Are you ok?" Joan sat down in the chair next to Grace, but Grace didn't move.  
  
"You want to talk about it?"  
  
Grace shook her head a little and seemed to snap out of it. "If I wanted to talk about it Girardi, I would. Are we done here?"  
  
"I guess. You want me to take you right back to your house? I have some errands to run for my Mom, then I was going to grab a hot chocolate if you want to come with."  
  
"Sure, whatever." Grace got up and walked to the door without looking at Joan.  
  
Joan really didn't know what to do. In the time that she and Grace had known each other, Joan had seen Grace pissed, extra pissed, happy, all the normal emotions. But now Grace seemed genuinely upset. Joan couldn't figure out what was wrong. Either Grace had found out something was wrong when she was with the doctor or she had received a cell phone call while Joan was still having blood taken and something was wrong after that. Honestly, Joan suspected the second of the two options. Grace was disgustingly healthy, and in the time Joan had known her, she hadn't even had a cold.  
  
They walked back to the car in an uncomfortable silence, but Joan remembered what God had said about just doing what she could.  
  
"I have to go to Home Depot, then to the drugstore next to the mall to pick up some photos. I was going to go get some Hot Chocolate at the café in Barnes and Noble too."  
  
Grace half-nodded at Joan but didn't answer. Once they were in the car Grace turned on the radio and looked out of the window. She didn't move once on the short drive to Home Depot. But though Joan had half expected Grace to stay in the car, she didn't. It was probably just too cold.  
  
It didn't take Joan long to find the brand of paint her mother wanted, but it took a while to find all of the colors on the list. Though why her mom wanted 9 different colors of external wall paint Joan had no idea. As she was loading the paint into the cart, she noticed that Grace had turned kind of green and was rubbing her stomach like she was going to throw up.  
  
"Oh, God. Grace are you ok? Do you need to sit down or something?"  
  
"I'm fine!" Grace snapped. She sighed. "I guess I just need some air or something. I'll go wait by the car."  
  
Joan rushed through the checkout and got about to the car as fast as possible. Grace still wouldn't look Joan in the eye. She didn't even turn on the radio. So the five-minute ride to the drugstore seemed like a silent eternity. Joan went through the things God had told her, and then tried to see what was happening, but it made no sense.  
  
By the time Joan had parked the car, Grace looked a little less pale but was still totally silent. They walked into the drug store and quickly found the photo booth. Joan's Mom had dropped off the photos taken at Thanksgiving when her cousin Shelly had flown up from North Carolina with her husband, Rob and their baby, Carry.  
  
"Are these the correct photos ma'am?" The clerk asked. He showed Joan the top photo, which was Kevin, Luke and baby Carry.  
  
"That's them. Thanks." Joan paid the clerk and turned around to find that Grace had disappeared. Joan wasn't sure what to do but she figured that if she stayed where she was Grace would eventually return.  
  
It was about 10 minutes before Grace came back, offering no explanation as to where she had been.  
  
They walked next door to Barnes and Noble, and browsed the books for a while.  
  
"You sure you're ok?" Joan asked, trying desperately not to get in Grace's face even though she really wanted to.  
  
Grace just shrugged.  
  
"Want something to drink?" Joan asked pointing towards the café at the back of the store.  
  
Grace nodded and started towards it; while Joan followed and dug in her pocket to find the rest of the money her Mom had given her.  
  
"I still have parental money, so I'll buy. What do you want? Black Americano, one sugar?" Joan named Grace's usual drink.  
  
"Decaff."  
  
"Huh?" Joan honestly thought she was hearing things, but she recovered quickly. "Ok, sure. I'll be back in a second."  
  
While Joan ordered the drinks, Grace grabbed a table and a copy of USA Today. By the time Joan brought the drinks back Grace looked much more like herself, scowling while reading the newspaper.  
  
Grace took a sip of her coffee and grimaced, not used to the bitter decaffeinated taste. "Ok Grace, what's up with you?" Joan couldn't help herself.  
  
"If I wanted to tell you I would. Just leave it as none of your business Girardi."  
  
"Grace, you're my best friend. You're acting 20 times weirder than usual. You look like you want to throw up, you pull a disappearing act in the drugstore, and now, strangest of all, you want decaff coffee. You hate decaff coffee. I don't get it." Suddenly something clicked in Joan's brain. "Shit Grace, are you pregnant?"


	2. chapter 2

A/N: Yay, people reviewed. I know it was kind of predictable what was going to happen, but it was never going to be a secret. It's more interesting to watch the consequences for everyone, don't you think?

Anyway, I don't own any of it, you know that and so do I.

Chapter Two  
  
"Thank you Girardi, I really want that broadcast across the Greater Arcadia area."  
  
"Grace, that's not an answer to my question." Joan stopped to take a breath. "Are you pregnant?"  
  
"Yes," admitted Grace, looking Joan in the eye for the first time that evening.  
  
"Ok, shit. I'm really trying to be calm rational friend right now, but it's kind of hard. I have absolutely no idea what to say. You know I'm here for you, right?"  
  
Grace nodded.  
  
"I'm guessing that's what the doctor said was wrong."  
  
"I've been kind of tired lately, so the doctor suggested a test to rule it out. I'm on the pill Joan, so I thought there was no chance. Then when they told me..." Grace stopped and took a breath, then half smiled. "Now I'm trying not to completely freak out. And I have to tell my father."  
  
"Oh, God, Grace. What are you going to do?"  
  
"I have no idea. My first thought was just to get rid of it. Then it kind of hit me that it's not just an it. It's a little person and the thought of killing it makes me sick to my stomach."  
  
"Grace, I have no idea what I can say to help. I'm probably useless, but if you want to talk I'm here."  
  
"I don't 'talk'," Grace paused. "But I think I might need to yell a bit. Not here though. If I freak out, I'd rather not do it in front of the entire city."  
  
"My house?" asked Joan.  
  
"No! Far too many people. What about Adam's? I guess I have to tell him too, because I know I have like 5 minutes before you can't help yourself."  
  
"I'll call him."  
  
Joan made a quick phone call to Adam who confirmed that his father was at work and it was ok for the girls to come. Then Joan phoned home to say she was going to Adam's with Grace to 'study' and she wouldn't be back for dinner.  
  
On the drive to Adam's, Joan had so many questions running around in her head that she could barely concentrate on the road.  
  
"How many weeks pregnant are you?" The question popped out before Joan could stop it.  
  
"Nine. Which gives me about three before I start to get fat, and have to start telling people. Is that what you wanted to know."  
  
"Grace, just tell me to shut up if you want. I just don't know what to say."  
  
"Girardi, it wouldn't be you if you weren't asking a million annoying questions. Besides, it's not like that wasn't one of my first thoughts too."  
  
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Grace, Adam and Joan were sat together in Adam's living room trying to take in the news. And surprisingly it was Adam that first brought up the question that Grace really didn't want to answer.  
  
"So who's the father?"  
  
"I'm not answering that."  
  
"Cha, you do know don't you?" joked Adam.  
  
"Of course I know Rove."  
  
"Whatever you say Grace," Adam smiled at his oldest friend. "So are you going to tell us?"  
  
"No, because you'll just freak out."  
  
"No we wouldn't," protested Joan. "Well we might if it was like Price or..." Joan stopped. "Oh God, ew. Please don't tell me that my younger brother knocked you up."  
  
Grace nodded. "Told you that you'd freak out."  
  
'Ok, ew, you slept with my little brother. That is just gross. Ew."  
  
"Thank you Girardi, because now I feel so much better."  
  
Joan calmed down pretty quickly and apologized to Grace.  
  
"Not like I didn't expect it. C'mon Girardi, you get all freaked when you see your parents kiss. I can kind of see why this is freak out material."  
  
"Ok. I'm still in ew territory, but I didn't even know you were seeing him, let alone getting naked, and, oh God, that is an image no girl should have of her best friend and little brother." Joan turned bright red and buried her face in Adam's shoulder.  
  
Against all odds Grace laughed at Joan.  
  
"It was fun, and secret. And it stayed fun and secret until Geek-Boy wanted to tell the world and I said no way. He hasn't spoken to me since."  
  
Joan looked up from Adam's shoulder. "You mean he's been acting like a freak for a month because you broke up with him?"  
  
"I didn't break up with him, because we were never a couple."  
  
"No, you just slept together. Oh God, ew."  
  
"Shut up Girardi, I get it ok!"  
  
"So when are you going to tell him?" asked Adam.  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"C'mon Grace. You have to. You're pretty skinny, so people are going to figure it out."  
  
"No way, Geek-Boy has like honor and crap. If he finds out he'll want to 'do the right thing.'" Adam and Joan could almost see the quotation marks. "Then my Dad will find out it's him and I'll be Mrs. Girardi before spring break. I don't think so."  
  
"Grace, you have to tell him. He's my brother and I get that he's going to go nuts. But this is his responsibility too. He's the baby's father." Joan paused for a moment. "And that makes me Aunt Joan."  
  
Joan pulled her shocked friend into a hug.  
  
"Girardi, what the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Hugging you. Now just promise you'll think about telling him."  
  
"Whatever, I'm going home. I have to think about this. If either of you tell anyone about this I'll kill you."  
  
"Night Grace. See you tomorrow." Joan was comforted by the fact that Grace now seemed much more like herself.  
  
After Grace left, Adam pulled Joan into his lap. He could somehow tell that she needed to be close to him.  
  
"Jane, if it was you that was pregnant, you'd tell me right?"  
  
'Of course. I mean it's kind of unlikely seeing as how we've never... But, yes of course I'd tell you. I don't have any secrets from you, not anymore."  
  
"I know it all huh?"  
  
"We'll maybe not all, but the important stuff."  
  
"Like you talking to you know who?"  
  
"Yeah, like that. Well talking to Him, shouting at Him, even dancing with Him once."  
  
"No way!" Adam laughed.  
  
"You remember that party Luke and I threw? When I didn't dance with you all evening, then you saw me dance with that other guy."  
  
"That was..? No way. Man, I was so jealous of that guy. Now I don't feel so bad."  
  
"That was Him." Joan smiled. "I liked dancing with you a lot better though."  
  
"Glad to know."  
  
"Adam, do you think there's anything we can do for Grace tonight? I mean I feel kinda bad for getting mad with her."  
  
"Cha, we can tell your brother. But we promised we wouldn't."  
  
An idea suddenly struck Joan. She climbed out of Adam's lap and pulled him off the couch.  
  
"We can help her find out what's gonna happen."  
  
"We're gonna buy her a crystal ball, yo?"  
  
"Nice smartass. We're gonna buy her a pregnancy book. You know 'Morning Sickness, Getting Fat and Other Joys of Pregnancy.'"  
  
"Jane, you're a genius."  
  
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It was a little after 8, so Adam and Joan drove back to Barnes and Noble, which was open until 10. The pregnancy books were near the back, between the children's section and the science books. Joan bent down and picked out a couple of titles to flick through. They all seemed pretty similar, but one in particular caught her eye. It looked like it was designed for a younger mother, with lots of quirky facts and clear explanations. It was the kind of thing that Joan was sure Grace would appreciate. She stood up deciding this was the one.  
  
"Hey Adam, what do you think of this one?"  
  
Adam who was standing behind her wrapped his arms around her waist and looked over her shoulder at the book.  
  
Joan who had been flicking through stopped on a page with incredible clear photos of fetuses at different stages of development.  
  
"Dude, that is so weird. Like in a month, the baby will be like a baby."  
  
"Nicely put Einstein. But yea, it's kind of freaky how it's like fully formed, just really tiny so soon."  
  
"Freaky but cool."  
  
Joan turned around in Adam's arms and kissed him.  
  
"You are so sweet."  
  
"Unchallenged."  
  
"Hey," Joan playfully hit Adam with the baby book. "Is that an ego I detect?"  
  
"Never."  
  
"C'mon."  
  
With his arm slung over Joan's shoulder, Adam led them to the cash registers to pay for the book. The matching smiles left them looking, for all the world, like any proud parents-to-be. They were so caught up in each other that they didn't see the familiar face watching them from the science section.  
  
The clerk smiled at Adam and Joan when they reached the front of the line.  
  
"Oh, hey, congratulations." She said when she saw what book they were buying.  
  
"It's not, I mean we're..." Adam tried to correct her.  
  
"Thanks," Joan smiled as she handed over the money. "He's going to make such a great father."  
  
Adam looked at Joan like she had grown a second head.  
  
The guy standing two people behind them in the line couldn't believe what he was hearing. Friedman had gossip. And he wasn't above spreading it to everyone he knew.  
  
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Joan rushed right to her room as soon as she got home. She couldn't face seeing anyone in her family, and especially not her Mom or Luke. The honestly thought that if she had to speak to either of them she'd last exactly 8 seconds before she told them.  
  
It took her hours to get to sleep, not helped by the fact that she wanted to read as much of the book as she could before she gave it to Grace the next day. So all of this meant that Joan woke up a little late. She switched on the radio and got dressed as fast as humanly possible. She grabbed her backpack from the floor and was about to drop the baby book in it, when an unexpected voice came from the radio.  
  
"I wouldn't do that Joan."  
  
Joan jumped. Then glared at the radio. "You scared me. And why shouldn't I? Don't you like the book idea?"  
  
"I think it's a very thoughtful gift. I'm just suggesting that you don't take it to school with you."  
  
"Oh God, sorry blasphemy, but you're right. I mean it's not exactly subtle is it. Thanks. You know you're much less of a pain in the ass as you used to be."  
  
"Joan," her mother's voice called from outside the door. "Who're you talking to? Are you on the phone?"  
  
"No Mom, I'm just making sarcastic comments at the radio."  
  
"Ok, sweetie. Breakfast is ready though."  
  
'I'll be down in a minute."  
  
Joan quickly searched her room for a place to hide it until she gave it to Grace. Eventually she decided to hide it under the pillows on her bed.  
  
Joan ran down the stairs and through the kitchen.  
  
"Breakfast, sweetie?" Helen asked.  
  
"Can't, sorry, gotta go," replied Joan as she sped out the door.  
  
"Ok, so now she's acting weird too. Are you sure you don't know what's going on?" Helen looked pointedly at her husband and oldest son.  
  
{}{}{}  
  
Arriving at school a little earlier than usual had a couple of advantages for Joan. She successfully managed to avoid Luke and her Mother and hid in her homeroom until first period.  
  
Joan's English credit, 'American Literature,' was another one from the top of an alphabetical list, but it was also the second of the two classes that Joan shared with Grace.  
  
Ms. Allen, the teacher was sick, and as this was a seniors only class they got a free period rather than another teacher taking the class.  
  
Joan and Grace decided to head off campus to minimize the possibility of anyone overhearing their conversation.  
  
"Girardi, just ask me the questions. I might not answer them, but honestly this trying not to ask is even more annoying."  
  
"Ok, ok, sure. So, how are you feeling this morning?"  
  
"Physically or mentally? Because physically I feel fine. A little sick, but it's not like in the movies where you have to throw up every five minutes. Mentally, a little better than last night. I think the total shock factor is wearing off. And as much as I hate to say this, you're right. I have to tell Geek-Boy, and soon. And I have to tell your parents and my dad. That's the bit I have a problem with."  
  
"Ok, well Luke will go into a catatonic state, then refuse to move more than three feet away from you for the next seven months, Mom will go visit her priest a lot and pray, then she'll realize you're Jewish and feel guilty. Dad, well, he'll yell at Luke, and then he'll feel bad and be great about it. I don't know your father well enough to know what he'll do."  
  
"Ok, well let me summarize. The Rabbi's 17 year old daughter gets knocked up by a 16 year old non Jew who she has no intention of dating, let alone marrying."  
  
"Yea, well put like that..."  
  
"I know exactly what he'll do. He'll be very understanding, and then suggest I start thinking about which all Jewish adoption agency I want to use."  
  
"You think?"  
  
"I know. And it's not that I didn't spend all of last night thinking about doing exactly that. I mean, c'mon, I'm not exactly the maternal type, am I. But I have to make that choice, without his pressure bullshit."  
  
"Of course it's your choice. But, it's not like you even have to choose right now. You have seven months. But you're definitely not going to, umm, get rid of it?"  
  
"Have an abortion? No. Funny huh. If I had any sense I would, and then I wouldn't have all of this to think about. It would just be gone. I guess 17 years of organized religion have gotten to me. This is my problem and it's not its fault. I can't kill it." Grace unconsciously rubbed her stomach, where the baby was growing.  
  
Joan smiled when she noticed what Grace was doing, but she realized that she'd be pushing it if she called her friend on it. Joan decided to discreetly change the subject.  
  
"Adam got all weird on me after you left."  
  
"He was probably using his artistic talents to build a mental picture of what your kids are gonna look like. "  
  
Joan blushed.  
  
"Oh God, you guys are so cute it makes me want to hurl. Let me guess, you went home and dreamt about having lots of babies with Adam, then on your way to school you picked out baby names."  
  
Joan blushed even redder. "Not consciously. But I did kind of think that if we had a girl; we'd have to call it Elizabeth, after his mom. Does that make me a total freak?"  
  
"No more than usual. You're just so in love it makes me sick. This should be you guys not me you know. You'd be able to cope with it. Me, with a kid, I don't think so. I killed my goldfish after two weeks because I forgot to feed it."  
  
"Grace..."  
  
"Sorry, random self pity attack. It's been happening a lot lately."  
  
"You're going to get so sick of me saying this, but if you need anything, I'm here."  
  
"You're right," Grace got up from the bench where they had been sitting. "I am sick of hearing it, but thanks anyway. Want to get some disgusting fake coffee before we head back?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
{}{}{}  
  
Luke was having a bad day. In fact this had been a bad week, and an even worse month. He was pissed, hurt, and the worst thing was that he couldn't talk to anyone about it. Grace had totally broken his heart, and then she had told him that if he ever told even one person that they'd dated, she's show him just what she remembered about what caustic chemicals do to skin.  
  
The sick thing was, that was one of the things that he loved about her. Not the torture threats obviously, but that she didn't give a damn. Luke desperately wanted to stop giving a damn, wanted to stop hurting, but at the moment that seemed unlikely.  
  
"My friend." Friedman walked up behind Luke and slapped him between the shoulders. "I have some news that is guaranteed to both freak you out and warm your heart."  
  
"Shut up Friedman!" Luke tried to walk away, but his annoying semi-friend just followed him.  
  
"Nu-uh Luke my man, just listen. So last night I was in Barnes and Noble buying that new book on applied chaos theory, but that's totally not the point."  
  
"So there's a point?"  
  
"Oh, there's a point. The point is the happy couple I saw buying a pregnancy book."  
  
"And?"  
  
"You don't want to know who it was? You have to know. Dude, it was your sister and Rove. Then they went to pay and your sister was all about how Rove's going to be a great father. Don't you get it? She's pregnant, she has a bun in the oven, she's in the family way."  
  
"Friedman, where do you get this "  
  
"God, no, I mean your twisted imagination. I mean it, get a life."  
  
"It's the truth. Believe it, not, whatever."  
  
{}{}{}  
  
That evening, like all Fridays, Adam and Grace came back to Joan's house. Joan had had to promise that there was no way Luke would be there, but they still came. They usually did homework or hung out, then Adam and Joan went out, either to a movie or back to Adam's shed to make out. Joan didn't care which.  
  
They were about half way through the mountain of AP Bio homework they had been set in last period when Helen arrived home.  
  
"Hey Mrs. Girardi," "Hey Mom," the three greeted her, all complications set aside until the homework was done.  
  
"Joan honey, I'm going to start the laundry. Do you want me to grab your stuff?"  
  
"Sure Mom," Joan answered without really listening.  
  
Helen disappeared from the kitchen, going upstairs where she greeted Luke who was in his bedroom, pretending to do homework, but actually avoiding Grace.  
  
Adam, Joan and Grace continued with their homework, but about five minutes later Helen appeared back in the kitchen with a kind of blank, shocked look on her face.  
  
"Adam, Joan, I think I need to have a talk with both of you."  
  
"Sure Mom, what's up?"  
  
"I think maybe we should talk in private."  
  
"Come on Mom, we're studying."  
  
"Fine. Do you two have something to tell us?" Helen held up the pregnancy book.  
  
Joan's eyes widened. "No, Mom, it's totally not what you think."  
  
"Then what exactly is it?" Helen shouted louder than any of them had ever heard before.  
  
"It's just..." Joan looked to Adam and Grace. Adam was looking kind of blank, and Grace looked pissed. "I can't explain"  
  
Luke appeared in the kitchen after hearing the yelling. He took one look at the book and joined in.  
  
"It's true? Freidman told me but I thought it was just his sick imagination."  
  
"Joan sweetie," Helen's voice was back to normal volume. "I thought you could tell me anything."  
  
"He said you were telling the clerk at the bookstore how great a father Adam's gonna be."  
  
Joan blushed.  
  
"I'm not mad, ok, well I am mad, but I just want to help. How far along are you?"  
  
"Mom!" Joan squeaked.  
  
"Ok, enough." Grace stood up. "Mrs. Girardi, Joan's not pregnant."  
  
"But..." Luke interrupted.  
  
"Shut up! Joan's not the one that's pregnant. I am."  
  
Luke turned white as a ghost. His eyes widened and he just managed to stutter out; "Oh God, you mean..."  
  
"I mean." Grace answered, oddly resigned to what was about to happen.  
  
"Oh God," Luke repeated. He stumbled backwards and sat down heavily in the chair behind him.


	3. chapter 3

A/N: So this is kind of a short update, but I think it kind of has to stop where it does. Anyway, read and review. Oh and I don't own any of this. I think that's obvious.

Chapter Three

"So, how long did Luke's semi-catatonic state last after I left last night?"

Joan switched the phone from one ear to the other. "I'm not sure he's out of it yet," she answered. "I don't think he talked all of yesterday evening. Even when Dad got home and yelled at him for like an hour." Joan paused. "Thanks for getting Grace out of there last night. I don't think it would have been a good thing for her to be there. My dad got pretty mean. I don't think he meant it or anything, but I'm glad she didn't hear it."

"No problem Jane. I'm actually glad I wasn't there either. Grace is totally freaked now though. She realized last night that she has to tell her father this weekend, 'cause she's totally sure the entire school will know on Monday. And that means the whole of her dad's Temple will know by Monday night."

"Ew, that's not going to be pretty."

"Cha, slight understatement. I told her she could escape to my house if she needed to though."

"Thanks. I'm not sure she ever wants to come back to my house, and if she does it'll have to be when she's properly talked to Luke."

"Unchallenged. Ok, I have to go, but I'll call if I hear anything more. I love you Jane."

"I love you too. Bye."

Joan hung up the phone as her older brother Kevin wheeled himself into the room.

"Hey, where is everybody?"

"Luke's been in his room and refused to come out for," Joan checked her watch, "17 hours and counting. Mom and Dad are in their room 'discussing things' and I'm here."

"Ok, so is this just usual Girardi family madness, or is there a reason for it?"

"Oh man, you don't know do you?"

"Know what?"

"Luke got Grace pregnant."

'Huh?" Kevin paused for a moment to attempt to take in what he'd just heard. "Ok, so let me get this. Our brother Luke got your best friend Grace pregnant?"

"Yeah."

"Grace with the scowling and the bad attitude?"

"That would be correct."

"Jesus."

"Pretty much my reaction too."

"I've gotta start staying home on Friday nights. So what, she told everyone last night?"

"Oh yeah. Well, I found out Thursday. So Adam and I bought her a book that kind of explained what to expect. I didn't want to give it to her at school, so Mom found it last night and thought I was pregnant. So she starts yelling, and then Luke joins in because one of his friends saw us buy the book."

"So?"

"Right, well they're both yelling, when Grace drops the bombshell. Well, no she just said that she was the pregnant one. Of course Luke like instantly realized what that meant and he almost fell over. And then Grace just grabbed her book bag and practically ran, with Adam tailing her."

"What did Mom say?"

"She was kind of standing in the kitchen, not sure what to do. Luke was just sitting there mumbling about something. Then Mom started asking him what was going on. That's when I snuck into the living room. And I guess Mom figured it out because then I heard this really loud: "Luke? Luke got his girlfriend pregnant?"

Kevin couldn't control it any longer and he burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry. I know it's not funny, but..."

"But it is funny. Bits of it just make me laugh, but the situation as a whole, the fact our 16-year-old brother got my 17-year-old best friend pregnant, not funny. The fact they're actually going to be parents: scary as hell."

{}{}{}

Kevin wheeled himself down the hall and knocked on Luke's door. There was no answer so he knocked again.

"Go away," came a voice from behind the door.

"Luke, let me in. C'mon, Joan says you've been in there for like 18 hours. You have to come out sometime"

"I'll get a hatch put in the door for food."

"What about school?"

"I'm never going back there. Can you imagine what that's going to be like? I can. In fact I have been for the last three hours."

"Fine, what about when Grace wants to talk to go?"

"Ha, never going to happen. She hates me. I'm a math geek who got a girl, who barely likes him, pregnant."

"Whatever bro, it could be worse."

"How exactly? Tell me how it could be worse?"

"She could want to marry you. Look, stay in there, whatever. Just give me a shout when you want to talk."

The door opened a crack.

"Are Mom and Dad going to kill me?"

"I haven't spoken to them, but according to Joan, you should be more worried about her father."

The door flung wide open and Kevin saw his brother sitting on the bottom step of the staircase to his room.

"The Rabbi?"

"C'mon Luke. You have to face this sometime. You were enough of a man to get yourself into this, so be enough of a man to deal with it."

"Ok, was there a sex joke in there somewhere? Because at this point I don't think that's very funny."

"Suck it up man. It's only gonna get worse. But lucky for you, I'm still the big brother, and I've got your back. And even if they shout at you, Mom and Dad are there for you too."

"I have to go face them, don't I?"

"You do. But take a shower first man. You're ripe. Then I think it's a family conference."

"Great."

"Oh yea."

{}{}{}

Adam and Joan were lying together on the couch at Adam's room. Joan had escaped to see him after what had been a difficult lunch. Her eyes were a little red from crying, but she had stopped now and they were talking quietly.

"It was just so awful. He just broke down and I had no idea what to do. Grace just dropped this on him and left. I get why, and I'm kinda glad she did, but now she has to go talk to him. I just feel like I'm being ripped in two. She's my best friend, but he's my brother and I just want them both to be happy."

"Jane, you're a good person. Of course that's what you want, but they have to work things out between them."

Adam kissed Joan's hair and they just lay there in silence.

A voice came from the door. "Am I interrupting something? Because you guys really shouldn't be doing that. It's kind of what got me into this mess in the first place."

"Grace, hey," Joan said, sitting up. "I thought you'd still be home."

"Well, being my usual genius self, I decided to tell my dad right after Temple. I saw Freedman arrive and I freaked. I got this vision of Geek-Boy calling him last night and telling him. So I decided I had to tell my dad before anyone else did. Well, you can probably tell how well that went down with him."

"So what happened?" Adam asked.

"He got all quiet and said he was disappointed. It was not fun. Well actually, one part was fun. I didn't tell him who the father was, but I did tell him the father wasn't Jewish. That just made him mad. I don't mind him mad, it's the disappointment thing that gets me." Grace paused. "So has Luke calmed down yet?"

"Grace you have to go talk to him."

"I don't 'have' to do anything Rove. I told him didn't I?"

"Cha, you told him and then ran. You have to give him more than that, even if it's just to tell him to butt out until you have things figured out. I've known you since you were three years old Grace, and you're too strong to just run away from this."

"Thanks Rove. So, who died and made you Yoda? You've miraculously stayed quiet through all of this Girardi. What do you think?"

"He's my brother."

"Fine, whatever." Grace pulled out her cell and dialed a number from memory. She put the phone to her ear and waited. "They're making me talk to you." A pause. "Your house? Fine." Another pause. "I'll be there when I'm there." Then Grace hung up.

Adam reached out and took Joan's hand.

Grace reached for her jacket from the chair where she'd dropped it. Then she walked out the door without a word.

After the front door slammed shut, Joan looked at her boyfriend.

"It's a good sign that she can still dial his number from memory, right?"

Adam just shrugged.

{}{}{}

Grace stopped outside the Girardi's house and prepared herself for what would be an undeniably awkward encounter. After a deep breath she knocked on the door.

After a few moments, Helen answered.

"I guess you're here to see Luke. He's in his room, just go right up." Helen managed a small smile.

"Thanks Mrs. Girardi. Look I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't..."

"Helen cut Grace off. "Don't worry about it. You have other things on your mind, right?"

Helen stepped out of the way and let Grace in. Grace just headed upstairs without looking into the living room where Will was sitting.

Helen returned to sit next to her husband.

"You realize that girl is carrying our first grandchild?"

"You ready for it?"

"No, not at all. You?"

"Me? I'm a big tough cop. I'm ready for anything." Will paused. "Except this," he admitted.

{}{}{}

Upstairs, Grace took one more deep breath and pulled the door to Luke's room open. She walked up the stairs and found Luke sitting on his bed, staring at the wall. She walked over and sat down next to him. He looked at her, but remained silent.

"Feeling nostalgic? Isn't this where we got into this mess?"

Luke got up and stalked across the room. "Is it? We did it more than once, and since I don't know how long ago this particular time was, it could have been in a couple of places."

"Point taken. They say I'm at about 9 weeks, but thanks to the crazy system of counting from the last day of your last period, this particular time would have been about 7 weeks ago."

Luke thought for a moment. "Ok, it probably was here then." He smiled for the first time in a day.

"We were careful right? We used protection?" Luke asked, suddenly serious again.

"Yeah."

"And you were taking the pill?"

"Yeah."

"Then how the hell did this happen?"

"I really don't know."

"I worked out the probability of this happening."

"That is so like you Geek-Boy. This happens so you try to quantify it so it makes sense to you. Well, this makes no sense at all."

"The probability of this happening is approximately 1/125000."

"Our usual luck, huh?" Grace smiled a bit.

"That was my thought. What're we going to do?"

"We're not going to do anything!" Grace said, suddenly defensive. "This is my body, so it's my choice!"

"God, that's not what I...Fine, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. Either adoption or I keep it I guess."

"So you're not going to..."

"No. That's the only thing I did decide."

"Oh," Luke walked back to sit by Grace. "So what now? I mean I'm here as much as you want me to be, but I have no idea what you want, or what you need..."

"Shut up Luke!" Grace turned to look him in the eye. "At this point I just need one thing from you."

"What, anything."

"Time. I just want some time. Give me until winter break without telling the whole school or bugging me constantly. I have to get my head around this and I can't do that with you there."


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I don't own any of this. That's clear to everyone. This chapter is dedicated to HandsOff, for two reasons. One becayse she's reviewed twice (thanks) and two because, like me, she's called Hannah. Dumb reason, but hey, that's my twisted brain in action.

I also want to add a warning that this story is degenerating into total fluff. I thinks it's just to balance the angst factor of my Everwood fics, but I can't be sure. Maybe I'm just turning into a romantic.

Chapter Four

The next two weeks were the longest of Luke's life. The days dragged on forever, but Luke kept his part of the bargain. He avoided his friends so he didn't end up telling them, and he hid in the library to avoid Grace. He talked to his Mom a little, and shared with her most of what Grace had said, but mainly he kept to himself. Somehow he managed to study enough to keep his grades up, but he didn't talk much.

Helen was a little subdued too. From her position as a teacher, she kept as close an eye on Grace as she possibly could. She made sure Grace ate lunch every day, and didn't look too sick in the mornings. She tried to see if there was a slight bump to Grace's stomach yet, but under the baggy clothes it was almost impossible to tell. That, Helen supposed was a good thing, because she hadn't heard anything on the rumor mill, and she wanted it to stay that way as long as possible.

But as slowly as the two weeks went, they eventually were done and winter break arrived. Then, Helen kept her family as busy as possible with Christmas preparations to prevent the anticipation becoming too unbearable.

But it was Tuesday, Christmas Eve, before Grace came back. It was Joan who first noticed her sitting on the porch steps, but Luke saw her only moments later. He grabbed his jacket, and pretty much ran out to see her.

"Grace?"

"Hey. I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice me."

"Have you been here long?"

"I just got here, but it's really cold. Can we go inside?"

"Of course. I mean that's probably bad for you right? Oh, God. I'm so sorry."

"Geek-Boy," Grace threatened.

"I know. Shut up, right?"

"That's the one."

Luke opened the door and ushered Grace in and towards the stairs. On the way past his family, who were all in the living room, Luke glared to warn off anyone who might consider eavesdropping.

Once they were safe in Luke's bedroom, Grace sat down on the bed.

"Back here again, huh?"

"I guess so," answered Luke who had claimed the spot next to her.

"OK, well, I'm Jewish, so I don't really go in for Christmas. But I have kind of a non-denominational-winter-holiday gift for you."

Luke paused. "I don't have anything for you. "

"I think you've given me enough, thanks." Grace gestured towards her stomach and raised an eyebrow. "So anyway, here."

Grace passed an envelope to Luke, who looked at it for a moment and then opened it. Inside was a Polaroid picture from a sonogram.

"Is that?" Luke asked. "Oh wow."

"As of yesterday. They did my first full exam. Dude, that was a weird experience."

Luke examined the picture. "Ok, I know what I should be seeing, but it just looks like one of those fuzzy inkblot tests."

"Look, there," Grace pointed. "That's the baby's head, and there's the body, those are the arms, there's the legs and that's the heart."

"I see now. That's our baby." Luke stopped. "Sorry, your baby."

"Our baby, dumbass. I'm pretty sure you had something to do with it. That's really what I came to say." Grace turned to look Luke in the eye. "Until yesterday, I still had no idea what I was going to do. My dad really wants me to give it for adoption, and I didn't think that was a horrible idea. I still don't."

Luke's face faltered, but Grace continued.

"But then I had the exam, and they did the sonogram, and I saw my baby move. I got to hear its heart beat." Grace smiled broadly. "And I kind of knew that there is no way I'm giving my baby to anyone."

At that moment, Luke was sure he was feeling every emotion known to man, and possibly a few new ones. Ok, so mostly it was a mix of excitement, happiness and absolute terror.

"So where does that leave me?" Luke was almost afraid to ask.

"I guess that's up to you. I'm not into the pressure shit, so if you want to be involved, that's your choice."

"Are you insane?" Luke looked at Grace incredulously. "Of course I want to be involved. This is my baby too, I'm his father." Luke froze. "Father, oh shit. Is yours going to kill me?"

"If he knew who you were, I'm sure he would try. He's not exactly thrilled with my decision. Between the yelling and the cursing in Hebrew, I got that he doesn't want to see me anytime soon."

"He kicked you out. Grace, I'm so sorry. Do you want to stay here? I'll take the couch, and you can sleep up here."

"I'm gonna stay with Rove. I'm not sure your parents would like the idea of me moving in."

"Are you kidding? This is the first grandchild. I'm surprised they haven't kidnapped you yet."

"Well your mom has been staring at my stomach for the last two weeks, trying to see if I'm fat yet."

"Grace, it's not fat, it's pregnant."

"Good answer."

"So are you?"

Grace just rolled her eyes and pulled her t-shirt up half way, revealing a slight swell to her stomach. Luke started to reach for it, then looked at Grace's face asking for permission.

"If you have to."

Luke placed his hand on Grace's stomach and just kind of stopped.

"Wow."

"Yeah, but let me make one thing clear. You are allowed to do that because it's your fault it's there. You are the only one allowed to do that, and even then only when I say it's ok. Please make it clear to your Mom and Joan that they are not allowed to touch me. Got it?"

"Of course, but wow. I mean I knew, I saw the picture, but this is like physical proof. We did this. I mean totally by accident, but we still did this." Luke paused. "Where does this leave us? I mean 'us' us. Is there even an 'us'?"

"I think there can be an 'us', but only if you follow a few simple rules. One, absolutely no PDA's except in front of Price to piss him off. Two, don't piss me off, and three, absolutely no promises. You're 16, I'm 17, c'mon we have to be realistic."

"Fine."

"You're sure?"

"Of course."

"Great." Grace pulled Luke into a kiss. When they finally broke apart, they found themselves lying on Luke's bed, with Luke half on top of Grace.

Grace started to laugh. "Oh, God. This feels just a little to familiar. Isn't this exactly what got us into this mess?"

Luke looked down at Grace. "You're different."

"Huh?"

"You're less, I don't know, less hostile."

"I blame it on the hormones your kid is producing. But I can go back to being a bitch if you want?"

"No, no complaints here." Luke leaned down to kiss Grace again. "No complaints at all," he murmured as their lips met.

It was almost an hour later when Grace and Luke came back downstairs. Helen had persuaded Joan to join her in the kitchen making Christmas cookies, as much to distract herself as Joan. Will was watching The Godfather on DVD and Kevin was out with the basketball team.

So while Luke talked to his parents, Grace was left in the kitchen with Luke."

"So? C'mon Grace, spill."

"Get used to being called Aunt Joan."

Joan squealed. "Oh wow, that is so cool. I mean not the accidental teenage pregnancy thing, because I've been reading up. And pregnancy? I so don't envy you, but I'm shutting up now." Joan moved to hug her best friend, but after a sharply raised eyebrow decided against it.

"Ok, Girardi. This alters our friendship in no way. It does not mean I want to go shopping at the mall with you, or get smoothies. The only this it does mean is that I'm gonna use you for free babysitting for the next 10 years."

"Ok, but still, I'm happy for you guys. Does this mean that you guys are like a..."

"If you say couple, I'll hurt you. There's some kind of semi-quasi-thing, but I refuse to define it with the dumbass criteria set down by High School morons."

"That still means you're going to make out in front of Price, right?"

"Of course."

Luke called Grace into the living room. So Joan was left alone in the kitchen to frost the cookies that were ready.

When the doorbell rang, a few moments later, Helen asked Joan to answer it. Outside was a familiar figure, Gothboy God.

"What are you doing here?"

"Full of Christmas cheer I see Joan."

"Sorry. Cookie?" Joan indicated the plate she was carrying, and Gothboy God took one. "But what do you want? This is kind of an important evening, and I know you know that. But I really don't want to have some wacky task."

"No wacky task. Just invite Grace to stay for dinner."

"Fine, ok. That I can do."

"Great." Gothboy God held up his cookie. "One of my better inventions don't you think?"

"I do. So, Happy Christmas, and tell your son Happy Birthday for tomorrow."

Gothboy God just smiled and walked away.

It was a little over a half hour later when Joan felt safe to interrupt her parents, Grace and Luke. To avoid making her best friend mad by interfering, Joan asked her mom, and Helen asked Grace.

"Uh, thanks for the offer, but I guess I should get back to Rove's place."

"Nonsense Grace. I'll call them. I know they probably have plans, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you stayed here." Helen tried to persuade Grace.

"Are you kidding? This is Rove we're talking about. He's lucky if his Christmas Eve plans are Chinese Takeout and a video!" 

"Then that's settled. I'll call Adam and his father. We have plenty of food." Helen walked into the kitchen to find the phone.

Luke trailed after her.

"Mom, Grace can't stay for dinner!"

"Now Luke, why in the world would you say that?"

"Mom, it's Christmas Eve. You cooked a ham, like every year."

"And?"

"Mom, Grace is Jewish. Ix-nay on the acon-bay."

"Luke, I know that. I cooked a chicken too."

"When?"

"I put it in when Grace arrived. There is no way she's not staying. That's our first grandchild she's carrying."

"Ok, Mom, that is creepy on so many levels."

"Now go make sure Grace has everything she needs. It's your job to keep her comfortable for the next six months."

"Mom! You make it sound like we're married or something, we're barely even dating."

"Give me a few months." Helen smiled enigmatically.

"Ok, really Mom, stop! This is a whole new level of creepy."

"I'm kidding Luke. Now out."

Adam and Mr. Rove happily agreed to join the Girardis and Grace for dinner, and they arrived an hour later. Dinner was lively, but before they started desert, it started to snow. The three adults stayed in the kitchen, while everyone else sat in the living room watching a movie. By the time the Roves and Grace were ready to leave, the snow had turned into a real storm, and Helen refused to let anyone leave in what she called "these horrible conditions."

They made up the couch and Helen decided that Adam should share with Luke, and Grace with Joan. But as it was only 10pm, and the kids had (like most days on winter break) slept till noon, so they decided to watch another movie in Joan's room.

Kevin went right to bed so it was left to Adam, Luke, Joan and Grace to pick what they wanted. Grace chose Starship Troopers, but soon, only Adam and Joan were watching it, as Luke and Grace were sitting in the corner making out.

"Ew, Grace. I know you make out with my brother, but do you have to do it in front of me?"

"No," Grace answered. "Luke, want to go make out in your room?"

Luke just got up and followed Grace out of the room.

Adam and Joan just lay together on the bed watching the movie. When it ended, Joan looked at the clock. It was 12.05.

"Hey Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"It's Christmas."

"It is?" Adam pushed himself up so he was looking down on Joan. He smiled. "Merry Christmas, Jane." He leaned down to kiss her.

After a moment Joan broke the kiss but they didn't move. Adam's hair fell into his eyes, but Joan pushed it back out of the way. They kept eye contact for a long time but eventually surrendered to what they both felt.

Adam leaned down and whispered, "I love you," into Joan's ear. Joan smiled.

Later, when they were lying together, on the verge of sleep, Adam stroked Joan's hair calmly. At that moment he knew what he wanted for the rest of his life.

"Marry me, Jane," Adam whispered.

"What?" Joan, who had been on the edge of slumber, was suddenly wide-awake.

"Marry me," Adam repeated. "I mean, not right away or even right after High School, but someday. I just need you to know that this, that you, are what I want for the rest of my life. See, the thing is that without you nothing makes sense. I just want to be with you."

"That's exactly what I want too. I mean the a few weeks ago I caught myself wondering how may children we'd have and what we'd call them. I thought I was going insane."

"So is that a yes?"

"It's a yes. But not yet. High School marriage is a little too movie of the week for me."

"Yeah?" Adam smiled wider than Joan had ever seen.

"Yeah. Now sleep, it's late." Joan snuggled into Adam's body and fell asleep almost immediately.

Adam lay awake for a long time; unable to stop the movie his mind was running of his future with Joan. He fell asleep seeing an older Joan, heavily pregnant and standing in the kitchen, laughing at something Adam couldn't quite see. To Adam, this Joan, like every one he could possible imagine was perfect, and his.

When the next morning dawned, Helen woke up early. She decided to check that everyone had at least got some sleep. Not wanting to wake anyone, she silently pushed the door to Joan's room open. When she saw Adam and Joan peacefully sleeping snuggled together she knew exactly what had happened. She wasn't mad at them, and she had actually expected that this would happen. But she said a silent prayer that she wouldn't end up with a second grandchild due three months after the first.

Quickly checking on Luke and Grace, Helen smiled when she say them, still fully clothed she was pleased to note, spooned together. They had kicked the covers off and Luke's hand rested on the bump that contained their child.

This was a sad moment for Helen, as her babies were no longer children. Kevin had told her two nights ago that he and Rebecca were looking for an apartment together, Joan was in her senior year and would be off to college before she knew it. And Luke, her baby, was going to be a father. They still needed her, she consoled herself, but from now things would be very different.

Helen headed downstairs to get a cup of coffee and to start plotting in her special motherly way. With Kevin moving out, Helen saw herself turning his room into a room for Grace and the baby. Not that she didn't hope Grace would be able to go home, but from her few short meetings with Rabbi Polanski she doubted it would be possible. He was a nice man, who had done an excellent job of raising his daughter after his wife had left. But he was traditional, and Helen feared this would be too much for him.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I don't own anything. You know it, and appart from the odd psychotic episode, I know it too. I'm sorry for being a bad writer and not updating for so long. I had writers block and then went on vacation for two weeks. Anyway, here goes nothing...

Chapter Five

Like every other break from school, Winter Break went far to fast. It was Sunday afternoon, and school started again the next morning. Joan was at the mall, just looking around. She needed a new dress for the spring formal. So it was two months away, but Joan had decided to get a head start and see if there were any dresses reduced in price. So far though, she hadn't had any luck.

Once she had checked in the two department stores that Arcadia's pretty small mall had to offer, Joan decided to check a few other stores. But on her way, something caught here eye.

Arcadia Mall had one of the most amazing jewelry stores that Joan had ever seen, and something made her go take a look. When she looked around, Joan was drawn to one particular area, the engagement rings. They were in a display case under the counter, and they were all beautiful.

Joan bent down to take a closer look and was amazed. There were so many different styles, most with diamonds, but with other gems too. She quickly decided that she preferred the less ostentatious rings, with smaller stones. She liked the silver rings better than the gold ones, but after about 10 minutes of looking, she found her ideal ring. It was white gold with a small square cut diamond in the middle and two small ruby chips on each side. It was perfect, but it was also $895.

"I guess I don't get a ring then," Joan said to herself as she stood up.

"It's not about the ring Joan," the clerk, a tall white man in his early 30's, said.

"It's you? Great. I like the new look by the way."

"It's about knowing that you'll love each other, forsaking all others, until death parts you."

"Quoting the wedding service now? Appropriate. And I know it's not about the ring. I guess I just want something normal for once. Like when a guy gets down on one knee and gives you a ring like in the movies. But no, he asks me in the middle of the night when I'm not sure if he actually said it or if I dreamt it."

"You like doing that don't you?"

"Doing what?"

"Complaining to the world about what you think you should be mad about. I know you think what Adam did was romantic and beautiful. You forget I know everything."

"Fine, you know it all. Then you know I really want this ring, any ring. Normalcy. But if you keep popping up like an unwanted pimple how much chance of that do I have?"

"An unwanted pimple, I think I like that."

"You're twisted. So is there anything else you wanted, or was it just a simple case of torture?"

"I have a small suggestion. Enter the science fair."

"The science fair? Oh, c'mon. There are far easier ways of guaranteeing my humiliation than that. I'll rejoin chess club, debate, I'll try out for the cheerleaders again. But please not that. I'll make a total ass out of myself in front of my friends, and my brother, not to mention the teachers."

"Experimentation is the only real way to discover the truth. Try it Joan, you might just enjoy it."

Joan just turned and walked away muttering to herself. She couldn't resist doing her own imitation of the departing God wave though.

"Great, more humiliation. Just what I need." Joan gave up her search in disgust and headed back to her car. But on her way out of the mall another store caught her eye, the maternity clothes store. Joan saw a couple of formal dresses in the window and realized that by the formal, Grace would be 26 weeks pregnant and have to wear a dress like that. "I guess the science fair wouldn't be to bad."

Her parents and Kevin were out when Joan got home. They had gone to see the apartment that Kevin and Rebecca had decided to rent together. It had been a bit of a shock on New Year's when they had announced that they had found somewhere and would be moving as soon as they could make a couple of adjustments for Kevin's chair.

Luke was at home though, and on the phone. He didn't look happy at all.

"You promised we'd do this together, and now you're bailing. C'mon Grace!"

Joan didn't exactly want to eavesdrop on her brother, but she just happened to head into the kitchen where he was standing.

"Grace, it's only 4 weeks away. I have to submit the application tomorrow. Now you tell me that you not only don't want to work with me, but you want the project? Where am I going to find another partner and another project in a month?"

The science fair, thought Joan. Interesting.

"I know we came up with something in two days, but if you remember correctly it destroyed everyone else's work. Ok, fine, work with Adam. I don't care."

Luke hung up the phone, and turned around to glare at Joan.

"Trouble in paradise?" Joan asked.

"Your best friend just ditched me for your boyfriend."

"It's just for the science fair Rocket-Boy. And what's with the 'your best friend' thing? She's your girlfriend, and she's carrying your baby."

"That's probably why she's acting so irrationally."

"Luke, if you value your life, please do not say that to Grace. Besides chill, I'll work with you. I was going to enter the science fair anyway."

"Please tell me this is some kind of joke. You want to enter the science fair?"

"Hey! I'm in the same science class as you. In fact my semester grade so far is better than yours."

"Because I didn't turn in two assignments, that's all. But fine, I'll work with you. The bigger problem is that we have no project. Grace and I were going to study gas chromatography."

"Oh right, like they use on CSI."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Forensic science is one use for a gas chromatograph, but that doesn't matter now. She's doing that project with Adam and I have nothing."

"Chill Luke. Lets build something."

"As ever Joan, that's an insightful suggestion. Fine, we can build something. Got any suggestions as to what?"

Joan looked around the kitchen for inspiration, her eyes falling on the fridge. She got up and walked over to where their mom had used a magnet to put Grace's sonogram up. Joan held up the picture.

"Can we build one of these?"

Luke looked at her. "A sonogram machine? I guess in theory, but they're pretty complicated."

"No way? They're complicated?" Joan asked sarcastically. "Can we make one?"

"I guess so. Well, a basic ultrasound scanner I think."

"Then lets do it. It'll be so cool. Then after the science fair you can give it to Grace as a gift and you'll be able to see the baby whenever you want."

Joan was not pleased when her alarm rang the next morning. Not only was it the first day back at school after a two-week break, which always sucked, but Luke had kept her up until after midnight working on their science fair project. She had been told to figure out where they could get what they needed. This wasn't a bad job, but it was after 10 when Luke finally finished the list of the 30 or so things he thought they needed. So Joan was tired, which was nothing new.

Breakfast was actually pretty normal, with everyone being in much better spirits than they had been two weeks previously.

"Kevin sweetie. I'm going to go to Wal-Mart after school, so I'll get you those boxes and I'll help you start to pack."

"Thanks Mom. I'll probably be back late this evening. Rebecca and I are getting the keys to the apartment and we're going to check that everything's ok to move in. She wants to do the big move on Saturday."

Helen's eyes teared up a little. "I can't believe you're moving out. You're still my little boy."

"Mom! I'm 21. You should have lost me to college 3 years ago, and I'm only moving 12 blocks away. Don't think about it. Think about your youngest son and his pregnant girlfriend."

"No Mom," Luke butted in. "Don't think about that. Think about Joan going far, far away to college."

"Luke!" Joan elbowed her brother in the side.

"No, you're right, you're right. You're all adults now, and that's fine." Helen still had a few tears in her eyes, but she was smiling at her children, who by this time had stopped listening to her and were arguing amongst themselves.

"Ok," Kevin said, pushing himself back from the table. "I have to get to work. My boss gets mad when I'm late."

"Kevin, you're moving in with your boss," said Joan.

"Which gives her plenty more time to yell at me. I'm trying to stay on her good side at least until the move is done.

"Do you guys need a ride to school?" Kevin asked Luke and Joan.

"Yeah, that would be great. I just have to go get my backpack." Joan ran to find her things.

"Sure, thanks," Luke added.

"You two are getting to school this early?" Helen was surprised.

Joan, who had just re-entered the room, backpack included, replied. "We're meeting Adam and Grace."

"Oh," Helen smiled.

Luke and Grace were sitting in the Library, totally alone. It was early enough that nobody else was likely to disturb them for at least a half hour. As of about a week ago, Grace was totally over the morning sickness stage. Not that she'd suffered badly. Luke's mom had told her that when she was pregnant with Kevin she'd been so sick that she'd barely moved from the couch for six weeks and had only managed to eat oranges. Grace had just felt lousy in the mornings.

Now though she felt well enough to make out with Luke this early in the morning, which as far as Grace was concerned was a good thing.

"Go on. Do it," Luke pestered.

"No."

"C'mon Grace."

"No."

"Please?"

"Uh, fine. Whatever." Grace lifted up the bottom of her baggy sweatshirt and revealed her stomach. The bump that contained their child had grown in the last two weeks and even though Luke was in awe of her, Grace was starting to feel a little self-conscious.

Luke reached over and put both his hands on her stomach. Grace jumped.

"Damn, your hands are cold. Next time, warn them up before you do that."

'Oh, hey sorry. You want to help me warm them up."

"I could be persuaded."

Luke slid his hands around to the small of her back, pulled her closer and kissed her soundly. After a few moments, the couple broke apart.

"Not a bad way to start a morning." Luke grinned.

"Not bad, but remember the rules. No PDA's, ok?"

"Except in front of Price."

"Except in front of Price. Which will of course become school gossip immediately."

"You don't mind that?"

"Naa," Grace answered. "If they already have that to gossip about then they're not going to be looking for anything else and notice my stomach."

"Grace, you're wearing a sweatshirt approximately three sizes too big. Nobody can see your stomach."

"In case you forgot, braniac, we have gym class today."

Gym class was one of the rare classes that Luke and Grace shared, the only other one being AP Biology. But unlike that class, neither Joan nor Adam shared it. However Friedman did.

"Should you be doing gym class? I mean in..."

Grace cut Luke off. "If you say 'in my condition' I'll," Grace paused for a moment. "Well, actually I'm not exactly sure what I'll do, but it'll be bad."

"Point taken. It's just your gym clothes kind of show your figure. Someone's going to see."

"Dude, I think we can safely assume that you are the only one that looks at my figure in gym class. And even if they do, it's not big enough for them to assume I've done anything other than put on a little weight." Grace suddenly looked a little vulnerable. "Is it?"

"No, of course not. I guess I'm just a little paranoid."

"Nobody's going to notice Geek-Boy, and even if by a minor miracle someone does figure it out, why should you care. It's not like I have a note on my stomach that says 'property of Luke Girardi.'"

"Actually, that would be kind of cute."

Grace looked at Luke incredulously.

"I know nobody's going to notice," he continued. "I mean look at that cheerleader. No one had any idea she was pregnant. It's just; I know we have to tell people eventually. I just wish we had a little more time."

"I give us six weeks. I think that's about how long I have until I start sporting the oh-so-attractive basketball under the shirt look. If the whole school doesn't know by then I'll let you tell Friedman. After that, I'd give us around eight hours until the whole town knows."

"Fine. But do you think Joan can keep her mouth shut that long?"

"She can if she knows what's good for her." Grace looked at her watch, and then stood up. "Price should be arriving right about now. Want to go start some gossip?"

Luke just smiled.

They quickly made their way from the library to Grace's locker, situated in the schools main corridor. Price had to walk right by them to get to his office. It wasn't long before Price's telltale fast footsteps could be heard. Luke pressed Grace against her locker and kissed her soundly.

The footsteps stopped.

"This kind of behavior is not appropriate on school property."

Luke and Grace broke off their kiss and turned to look at Price. Price did a kind of double take.

"Mr. Girardi? Miss Polk?" Price sounded incredulous, but quickly recovered his composure. "I'd like to see the both of you in my office at lunch."

Mr. Polk walked away as fast as he could, not quite believing what he had just seen. His first stop was in the faculty lounge, where he spotted Helen.

"Helen, did you know what I just caught your son doing?"

Helen shrugged. "Something bad I guess, or you wouldn't be telling me." Actually Helen had a good idea what Luke would have been doing, thanks to Joan telling her who they were meeting.

"He was just kissing Grace Polk in the hallway."

"Oh." Helen turned away from Mr. Price nonchalantly. Then smiled.

Luke had AP Calculus first period. Like most of his classes, he sat with Glynis and Friedman. Even though he'd once dated Glynis, she and Luke were really good friends. She had a steady boyfriend, a senior who played guitar in a local band, so there was no longer any awkwardness between them.

Glynis and Friedman were already there when Luke arrived.

"Dude, tell me it's not true. And if it is, how did I not know? I mean you and Polk? I know you've been in lust with her forever, but c'mon."

"I think it's sweet," twittered Glynis in her usual birdlike way. "You and Grace make an interesting couple."

"Interesting? Plain weird is more like it. I always thought she'd be into S&M or something."

"Well, you were wrong. Besides, aren't you the one with the latex fetish?"

"That's strictly scientific interest. And it is true then? I always thought she had a thing for your sister."

Luke smacked his friend in the back of the head. "Shut up, Friedman."

"Dude, you've been spending to much time with her."

Gym class was right before lunch, but Grace had study hall right before it. As it was only the first day back, and as of yet she had no homework, Grace was changed and ready in the gym a little early. Luke arrived soon after though. He had a habit of changing as fast as possible, developed after years of abuse from jocks.

Luke took a seat on the bleachers next to Grace.

"Hey."

Grace smiled. "I hear our display has passed into infamy."

"Well, Friedman knows, so I guess everyone does by now."

"That was the point." Grace stood up. She tugged her t-shirt straight. "So? Is it noticeable."

"No. You look fine. Well, maybe like you've put on a couple of pounds, but nothing more."

"Gee, you really know how to flatter a girl."

Luke tugged Grace back to sit down next to him.

"Would you rather I said you looked like you were pregnant? In front of them?" Luke pointed at the other students who had just started to enter the gym and were looking with interest at their conversation.

"Point taken. It looks like we're the hot gossip among the student body."

"Well as long as they don't look to closely at your student body."

"Hey," Grace backhanded Luke in the stomach.

The other students tried to look like they weren't watching, but this was too good. Fortunately the teacher arrived.

"Right, lets get you people moving. You've had two weeks of sitting about, now you're going to give me 10 laps around the gym. Get moving all of you. That means you two lovebirds too," she called to Luke and Grace who were making their way down from the bleachers.

"Looks like we're the gossip for the faculty too. I wonder how Mom's taking it?"

"She's had a few weeks to get used to it. She'll be fine."

They started to jog around the gym pretty fast so they could hear other people's conversations as they passed. As expected, the works making out, locker and Price were a feature of a lot of the conversations, but thankfully no one said pregnant or baby that they could hear.

After the first five or so laps, they both slowed down. They didn't exactly mean to run together, but it just seemed to work out that way. Unfortunately their companionable silence was broken by Friedman. He jogged up behind them and put his arms around their shoulders.

"Hey, congratulations people."

Grace pushed his arm off violently and stopped. "What the hell do you mean by that, Friedman?"

"Chill. I just meant that you two seem to be the school's new 'it'couple. You've given the whole sub-defective nation a boost. It seems you've been classed as utterly romantic. You know, love across the grade divide and religions, blah blah. What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing! I just wanted you to get you hands off me. Touch me again, and I'll severely limit your chances of ever having children!"

At the word children, Luke shot Grace a dirty look, but no one seemed to notice.

"Ok people. Enough running. As I'm still feeling in a holiday mood, I think we'll have a nice soccer tournament. Five on a team, five teams and six-minute matches. I'll let you guys pick your teams."

I was by default that Grace, Luke, Friedman and Glynis ended up on a team together. Their fifth member was a senior girl named Cathy. Fortunately they weren't too bad. Cathy was ok in goal, Grace was aggressive so she played defense, and Luke wasn't bad at soccer having played with Joan and their dad when he was young. Glynis and Friedman were terrible, but it wasn't a total disaster.

They drew their first match 0-0 after six minutes, with Grace's aggressive defense and Cathy's ability to block the ball helping them. Their second match was tough, but in the end they won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Glynis of all people. But it was the third match that caused the problems. Their opponents were the most athletic in the class. As the other team proved their skill, Grace got madder and madder. She got more aggressive in defense until a she got tangled in a particular aggressive tackle that sent her sprawling to the ground, and hitting her head pretty hard in the process.

An instant later Luke was by her side.

"Oh God, Grace are you ok?" He checked her head to see if there were any cuts.

The gym teacher pushed Luke out of the way. "Miss Polk?" she asked. "You ok? That was a pretty nasty tackle."

Grace pushed herself up to a sitting position. "I'm fine."

"I think a visit to the nurse would be appropriate. Mr. Girardi, would you mind playing escort?"

Luke nodded and helped Grace up, then walked after her towards the nurse's office.

Once they cleared the gym, Luke laid into Grace.

"See this is why I thought gym might be a bad idea. You get so aggressive, and then you act stupid."

"Chill, Geek-Boy, I'm fine. I fell on my side and hit my head, no big deal."

"What if you fell on your front?"

"Look, I'm sorry ok? I didn't think. Happy now. So lets go see the nurse and get out of here."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Not mine

Chapter Six  
  
The nurse was busy with a freshman that had a nosebleed, so Grace and Luke took a seat. It was almost 10 minutes before the nurse appeared, peeling off slightly bloodstained gloves.  
  
"Grace Polk and Luke Girardi, right? What can I do for you?"  
  
"I fell and hit my head in gym class."  
  
"Ok, come right through. Luke, you can either go back to class or wait here for Grace."  
  
"I'll wait thanks."  
  
"Why am I not surprised."  
  
The nurse, Ms. Roberts, was pretty young and had only started at the school the previous September. She led Grace into her office and gestured for Grace to sit down. After a moment at the computer on the desk, Ms. Roberts turned back to Grace.  
  
"Right, so you fell and hit your head, right?"  
  
"We were paying soccer and I fell on my side. I hit my head on the floor." Grace was feeling a little clumsy and foolish.  
  
"Any headache?"  
  
"A little I guess."  
  
"Dizziness?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Vision blurred?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Ok, great. You probably don't have a concussion or anything. I'm going to give you some pills for your headache and then I'm sure you'll be fine."  
  
"Um, I can't take any pain pills."  
  
"Do you have an allergy? It's not on the system. If you give me a minute I'll update your file."  
  
"It's not an allergy." Grace took a breath. "I'm pregnant."  
  
Ms. Roberts didn't react.  
  
"How many weeks?"  
  
"14."  
  
"Ok. Have you felt it move yet?"  
  
"Uh, no. My OB told me that would probably start around 16 weeks."  
  
"That's fine. Any cramps?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Things are probably fine. I think you should try and see your OB today just in case though. And from now on, stay away from contact sport. I'll put a note on your file. Until you want to make this public knowledge, I'll say it's due to the head injury. Is that ok?"  
  
"Yeah, thanks."  
  
"You can go talk to Luke now. He's probably going out of his mind right now."  
  
"You just assume he's involved."  
  
"C'mon. Everybody knows about you two. It's hot gossip, but strangely his mother didn't react at all to the news her son was making out with her older daughter's best friend. I assume she knows everything?"  
  
Grace nodded.  
  
"Right, do you have your OB's number?"  
  
Grace nodded again.  
  
"Get Luke in here, then call your OB. I'm going to get lunch. You're welcome to stay here as long as you want."  
  
With that Ms. Roberts left a stunned Grace in the room. She couldn't believe that a faculty member hadn't reacted at all.  
  
Luke pushed his head around the door. "She said it would be ok for me to come in." "Fine. She told me to call and make an OB appointment."  
  
Luke looked slightly puzzled.  
  
"OB?"  
  
"Obstetrician. You know, doctor that takes care of pregnant women. Didn't you read any of the stuff I know Joan's been shoving at you for the last month?"  
  
"You told her?"  
  
"The nurse? I kind of had to. Anyway, I have to call the doctor. The number's in my bag, which is in my locker."  
  
"I'll go get it."  
  
Luke left, leaving Grace alone and feeling a little guilty. She hadn't been thinking. The truth was that the weight she had put on had left her a little off balance, which she didn't want to admit. Luke returned pretty fast with the notebook.  
  
"I'm gonna go find Mom. I'll borrow the car to take you to the appointment." Luke disappeared again.  
  
The only appointment that Grace could get was at 4.00, but the doctor told her to rest until then, and if she had any cramps to go right to the ER. But Grace was fine. She stayed in the Nurse's office all afternoon, and by the time she and Luke arrived at the medical center even her headache was gone.  
  
The nurse showed them into an examination room and told Grace to lie down on the table. Grace pulled off her jacket and sweatshirt, leaving just a slightly tight t-shirt, under which her stomach was obvious. Grace lay down and pulled her shirt up so her bump was fully exposed.  
  
Luke felt kind of awkward. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, and no matter how many times Grace assured him that everything was fine he was still worried. This wasn't the easiest situation to begin with, but right now he was feeling helpless, young and stupid.  
  
"Hey. Quit walking in circles, you're making me dizzy. Sit." Grace gestured at a seat next to her head.  
  
Luke sat down and reached to rest his hand on her stomach. Grace didn't say anything so he just left it there for a few moments, then to Luke's supprise, Grace reached up and took his hand.  
  
It wasn't that long before the doctor arrived. Dr. Shaw was in his fifties, with graying dark hair. He had a kind of fatherly air to him. He smiled at them as he entered.  
  
"Grace, I hear you had a fall."  
  
"I fell on my side in gym class."  
  
"Any cramping since?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"No spotting?"  
  
Luke looked confused.  
  
"Hi. You must be Dad." Dr. Shaw reached out his hand to Luke.  
  
"I'm Luke Girardi." Luke shook his hand. This was all kind of surreal.  
  
"Spotting is a small amount of bleeding. It's a sign of miscarriage." The doctor explained to Luke. "But I take it you've been fine?"  
  
Grace nodded.  
  
"Sounds good. I'm just going to do a sonogram to check everything then."  
  
He pulled a trolley mounted sonogram machine over to the examining table. The gel he applied to Grace's stomach made her jump.  
  
"What do they make that stuff from? Liquid nitrogen?"  
  
Dr. Shaw laughed. "It's a possibility."  
  
He picked up the wand and placed it on her stomach. A picture appeared on the screen, and through the speakers there was a sound like a rushing underwater.  
  
"Nice strong heartbeat." Dr Shaw moved the wand to try and get a better picture.  
  
Suddenly Luke saw it. The screen focused, and there was his child. He could see it moving it's arms and legs, and he could see its heart beating.  
  
"Looks like everything's fine. You were lucky. So no more contact sports of any kind, but do take exercise. Swimming, going to the gym, running, something like that."  
  
Grace just nodded. She was looking at the screen too, but it was Luke's expression that got to her. Even though in reality they were just a couple of stupid, unlucky kids, Luke looked like any other proud father. He couldn't take his eyes off the screen and looked amazed.  
  
"Can you tell if it's a boy or a girl yet?" Luke asked, finally turning back to the doctor and Grace.  
  
"Not yet. It needs to be about 20 weeks for that to be at all accurate."  
  
"You want to know?" asked Grace.  
  
"Not if you don't. I mean if you want a surprise that's fine. It's up to you."  
  
"You can have an opinion. It doesn't mean I'll listen to it though."  
  
"You're lucky to have him Grace. Most of my younger patients don't have anyone.  
  
"Right then. I'll just take a couple of pictures for you then I think we're done. You have another appointment in two weeks, right Grace?"  
  
"Nearly three. It's two weeks Saturday."  
  
"Great. Well Grace, Luke I'll see you then. Luke, if you can bring a family medical history that would be great. So, here are two more photos for the album."  
  
With that he left them.  
  
Luke handed Grace a few paper towels to wipe away the gel from her stomach. They grabbed their stuff and left.  
  
"Do you really not want to know if it's a boy or a girl?"  
  
"Part of me does, but I think I want a surprise. I think it's just kind of nice not to know until it's here. Is that ok with you?"  
  
"It's your decision. I don't mind, but it might be easier to pick names and things if we knew."  
  
"I'm not even half-way done yet and you're thinking about names? Not a chance. Ok, new rule. No talking about names until I say so. Ok?"  
  
"Fine." Luke started the car and headed out of the parking lot. "Do you want to come back to my house? Joan collected all your homework from this afternoon, and Mom will kill me if I don't bring you back to prove her grandchild is ok."  
  
"Your Mom's lost her mind over this hasn't she."  
  
"It's looking that way. After this she's probably going to try to get you to stay in a bubble for the next few months. So do you want to come? I think my dad's cooking pasta for dinner."  
  
"Sure."  
  
Dinner had come and gone. Helen had been thrilled to have Grace there, but Luke had been strangely silent since they'd returned from the doctor's office. Now Joan and Grace were upstairs doing homework, and Helen wanted to know what was wrong with Luke.  
  
"Sweetie, I know you had a scare today, but everything's fine."  
  
Helen took a seat next to her youngest son, who was sitting watching TV.  
  
"It's nothing mom."  
  
"Luke. You've hardly said two words this evening. You didn't even join in when Kevin was insulting Joan. I'm your mother, I know when something's wrong."  
  
"Maybe that's the problem?"  
  
"That I'm your mother?"  
  
"No, Mom! Being a parent!" Luke paused and looked at his mother. "When I saw Grace fall, my first thought wasn't for her, it was for the baby. I thought about a 14-week-old fetus before my girlfriend! And then, normally I wouldn't have a clue what to in a situation like that, but everything just switched off and I was calm, and I knew what to do."  
  
"It comes with parenthood, sweetie. Even when you're dying inside, you just do whatever you can. You'll get used to it."  
  
"Mom, it scares the crap out of me. At least Grace will have finished High School. I have to go back after the summer!"  
  
"Luke, you knew all of this when you said you wanted to be involved."  
  
"No, God, that's not what I mean. I don't know what I mean. I mean when I saw the baby move on the sonogram, it was the best moment of my entire life. Then when I try to imagine having to take care of it when it gets here, I can't. I have no idea what to expect.  
  
"And Grace it acting totally different. I mean not all of the time, but when she was with the doctor, she was acting, well, acting like a normal girl. She couldn't stop smiling, she wasn't sarcastic at all, and she held my hand the entire time."  
  
Helen laughed.  
  
"Mom! This is not funny! I don't know what to do?"  
  
"Sweetie, don't say this to Grace if you want to ever hold you child, but it's her hormones. She's just started her second trimester and she's pumped full of them. They'll make her happy all the time. Believe me though, from experience, enjoy them while you can. She's going to be a cranky witch in the third trimester. I think I made your dad sleep on the couch for a month because he was breathing wrong when I was pregnant with you.  
  
"Luke, I know this is a lot to deal with, but by the time the baby gets here, you'll be as ready as any new parent. And you have everyone here for you. We'll all help you both get through this."  
  
Luke looked at the floor, not sure if he should tell is mom a certain bit of information. "Rabbi Polanski still won't let Grace in the house. Not even to get more clothes. All she's got is the stuff she sneaked out of there two Saturdays ago when her dad was at the temple."  
  
"Oh, honey." Helen wrapped her arm around her son. "I'm glad you told me. Is she still living at the Roves' house?"  
  
"Yeah, but they don't have a spare bedroom, so she's been sleeping in Adam's bed, and he's been sleeping on the couch. They can't do that forever, can they?"  
  
"That's up to Grace and the Roves. But she knows we're here for her right?"  
  
Luke nodded a little. "I think so."  
  
"That's the important thing."  
  
Helen hugged her son and left him on the couch. She returned to the kitchen, grabbed a few things and left the house on a mission.  
  
It only took Helen about 5 minutes to get to the Polanski house. But she sat in the car for almost a half hour before she got out and walked to the door. She checked her watch and saw that it was 9pm. Late enough that Rabbi Polanski would have finished dinner, but not so late that he would have gone to bed. Perfect  
  
It didn't take long for Rabbi Polanski to open the door. "Hello," he asked a little puzzled.  
  
"Hi. I don't know if you remember me, but we met on parents' night at school. I'm Helen Girardi."  
  
"Joan's mother. Yes, I remember now. What can I do for you? I'm more used to your daughter turning up here unannounced. If it's Grace you need to speak to then I'm sorry but she's not here."  
  
"That's really what I wanted to talk to you about."  
  
Rabbi Polanski's expression turned hard. "Ahh, well I'm sure you know some of the situation from your daughter, but I really fail to see how this is anything to do with you? My relationship with my daughter is my business."  
  
Helen stopped. She suddenly realized that Grace hadn't told her father that Luke was involved, and it wasn't her place to tell him. "I'm sorry sir, but Grace is a student of mine and my daughter's best friend. I don't mean to tell you what to do; I just thought that it might be helpful to get another parent's point of view. She's your daughter. No matter how you feel about her actions, she should always be welcome in your house."  
  
"She's welcome to come back any time Mrs. Girardi. I simply won't allow her to return until she gives up this fantasy of keeping the child. As soon as she's ready to think about putting the child up for adoption, I'll welcome her back."  
  
Helen struggled to keep her emotions under control. "With all due respect sir, shouldn't that be her decision?"  
  
"Mrs. Girardi, she's still a child herself. How can she possibly take care of a baby on her own? She won't even tell me who the boy involved is. So I assume he's either totally unsuitable, or she doesn't know who he is. And honestly, I don't know which one of these options is more likely.  
  
"You're not Jewish, Mrs. Girardi. You can't understand how I feel, or my position in our community. Grace's actions are an embarrassment to me, but that doesn't mean I don't love her. I just need her to see sense before I can help her."  
  
"You don't have a very high opinion of your daughter do you?" Helen didn't mean to be rude, but Rabbi Polanski was so frustrating. "What happens if she never changes her mind?"  
  
"Then I wish her good luck. But being a single parent at 18, with only a high school diploma isn't an attractive option. She'll change her mind."  
  
"I think I should go. Thanks for talking to me Rabbi. I'm sure I'll see you around."  
  
Helen didn't even wait to be shown to the door. She just left, got in the car and drove off. When she got home she quietly snuck upstairs and sat on her bed thinking. She wasn't ready to talk to any of her children and Will, the person she did need to talk to, wasn't home yet.  
  
She could hear Grace and Joan talking down the hall, and knew that the decision she had to make was a tough one, and one that needed to be made as a family. But with the exception of Will, she knew what the family would say. So she just lay on her bed and waited for her husband to get home.  
  
Will had been called out in the middle of dinner when a suspect in one of his robbery cases had been arrested on another charge. The interview took hours so it was after midnight when he finally got home. Helen was asleep, but like always she woke up when her husband slipped into bed beside her.  
  
"Hey honey. Did you get the bad guy?"  
  
Will kissed his sleepy wife. "One of them. There are always plenty more out there. But we had physical evidence tying this guy to a couple of armed robberies. The DA's pretty confident."  
  
"That's great. We have to talk though."  
  
"Now?" Will looked at his watch. "Helen, it's 12.47 in the morning. Can't this wait?"  
  
"I went to see Grace's father after dinner. She's still living at the Roves' house and there's not enough room there so Adam has to sleep on the couch."  
  
"Helen, I know that's not the ideal situation. But it's not up to us. Grace has to figure things out with her father herself. I don't think she'd like you interfering."  
  
"Will, we're going to have a spare bedroom after Saturday. She's part of the family now. Besides, if she lives here then Luke will be able to be much more involved."  
  
"Helen, are you suggesting we ask Luke's girlfriend to move in with us? C'mon it's not even like they can act like they're innocent anymore. That sounds a little to much like setting up house."  
  
"Will Girardi, what're they going to do? It's not like this'll give them opportunity to do anything they haven't done before. Besides, she's not just Luke's girlfriend, she's Joan's best friend and the mother of our first grandchild."  
  
"Don't remind me," Will grumbled. "It just feels a little like we're letting Luke and Grace play house. I mean what's next, letting Adam move into Joan's room?"  
  
"I'd like to think that, God forbid, if Adam had nowhere else to go we'd let him stay here. And Grace wouldn't be in Luke's bedroom. We could turn Kevin's room into a room for her and the baby. I mean, I know it's all hypothetical, but I feel so bad for her. Her mother's not about, and Adam's is dead, so I kind of feel like a parent to all three of them. Grace is gonna need advice from someone who's been there. Do you remember how scared we were when I was pregnant with Kevin?"  
  
"I see your point sweetie, I really do. I just think it's a big decision. We have to think how it would impact the family as a whole."  
  
"She is part of the family, Will. Whether she and Luke stay together or not, she'll always be part of the family because she's the mother of Luke's child. I think we have to give her this option, even if she says no."  
  
"We have to talk to the kids first. This has to be a unanimous decision."  
  
"Is that a yes?"  
  
"It's a lets talk about this as a family."  
  
"Oh, I know exactly what the kids will say. Kevin will say he shouldn't be involved because he's moving out. Joan will say yes, but demand we soundproof the baby's room so it won't wake her up and Luke will go all quiet but be happy. I just don't know if Grace will say yes."  
  
Will and Helen asked their three children what they thought of the idea over breakfast, and their answers were almost exactly as expected. The only exception was Luke, who suggested that he swap rooms with Joan as well, so that he's be right next door to Grace and the baby if they needed him. This idea made Helen smile. Her little boy was already thinking like a father! And to everyone's surprise, Joan agreed. All that was left was to ask Grace.  
  
It was decided that Helen should be the one to make the offer. Will pleaded that he didn't know the girl well enough, Joan said that Grace had told her to butt out of her life enough times already and Luke refused on the grounds that it might be misconstrued as an overture towards formalizing the relationship, (his words). So Helen was left, and she decided to ask as soon as possible.  
  
Helen got the chance she'd been waiting for after her 3rd period Art History class. She'd been thrilled when Price had suggested that she teach this class, and even more thrilled when both Adam and Grace had signed up for it.  
  
"Grace, do you mind staying after class for a few minutes?"  
  
"Sure, Mrs. Girardi." Grace felt a little awkward. After Luke and her display yesterday, no one had any doubts as to their relationship, and when Mrs. G. asked her to stay after, a few of the girls in the class giggled. Plus, Mrs. G had asked Grace to call her Helen out of class, so this was all a little weird.  
  
The class trooped out as soon as the bell rang, leaving Helen and Grace alone in the classroom.  
  
"Is this ok Grace, you don't have to get to class or anything?"  
  
"It's fine. I have study hall. I can miss that. Is this about my last essay? I know it was from before the holidays, but I wasn't concentrating well. I can do it over if you want."  
  
"Grace, your essay was fine. In fact, you're pulling a straight A in my class so far." Helen took a seat on top of one of the desks, opposite where Grace was standing.  
  
"I didn't know you have a 4.0 average Grace."  
  
Grace half-smiled. "I don't think anyone does. It kind of ruins my 'anti' reputation, you know? So is that what you wanted?"  
  
"I think I have to be blunt Grace. I went to see your father last night."  
  
Grace stopped. A hard, impassive mask swiftly swept across her face. "Oh."  
  
"I didn't mean to pry, it's just that Luke told me you're still staying with Carl and Adam. So I went to try and talk to your father, Grandparent to Grand parent."  
  
A flicker of panic crossed Grace's eyes, but disappeared almost as soon as it appeared.  
  
"Don't worry. I realized he didn't know about Luke just in time, so I just pretended I was a concerned teacher."  
  
"Thanks." Grace crossed her arms in front of her chest and looked out of the window. "He's not going to change his mind you know," she continued.  
  
"He's almost as stubborn as you. But where does that leave you? You can't stay with the Roves forever.  
  
"And that's where we come in. We've talked about it as a family and we want you to move in with us. Kevin's moving out so we'll have a spare room, and Joan and Luke are going to switch rooms so Luke can be next to you and the baby when it's born. You don't have to decide right now, but just think about it."  
  
Grace was silent. She actually couldn't believe that they were offering this to her. "Uh, thanks, for the offer I mean. I have to think about this."  
  
She left the classroom almost on autopilot, not really paying attention to her surroundings. So Helen was left alone in her classroom for the rest of 4th period and almost to the end of lunch. But Grace returned almost as abruptly as she had left. She took a seat on one of the tables.  
  
"I went to talk to Joan and Luke. They're the ones who have to live with this."  
  
"Grace, I told you this was a family decision. They want this too."  
  
"That's what they said. So I guess I have to say yes. If you really want me there, that is. I mean, c'mon do you guys really want the sleepless nights again?"  
  
"Grace, we mean it. Kevin moves out this Saturday, but if you don't mind you can move in a week after that. We have to get things ready for you." Helen impulsively hugged Grace. Grace stiffened and looked very uncomfortable, but she didn't say anything.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I don't own it, any we all know that. This is the final chapter of Unexpected, but there is an epilogue on its way. Thanks to everyone who either read or reviewed. I really appreciate it.

Chapter Seven

Grace had been living with the Girardi family for a week now. Luke wasn't at all sure how he felt about Grace living there. On one hand he was ecstatic, as he could see her whenever he wanted. All he had to do was go into the next-door room and she was there. To be fair she usually kicked him right out again because he was bugging her, but he knew where she was and that she and the baby were safe.

But on the other hand all of this terrified him. He felt a little like they were married. His parents insisted that he practically wait on her hand and foot, and he couldn't ever get away from her. And to tell the truth, all Luke wanted to do at the moment was escape. He had to see Grace all the time, and at home she just wore t-shirts and jeans. This meant that her stomach was constantly on display, constantly reminding Luke of his future and new responsibilities. This scared the crap out of Luke and for once he wanted to be able to forget that his whole life was changed.

He was sitting in AP Biology, taking notes on what the teacher was saying and worrying, when a spitball hit the back of his neck. He didn't even need to look round to know who had launched it. That was the one good thing about the last week; touchy-feely Grace had disappeared, and had been replaced with the bitchy, sarcastic, 'anti' Grace that Luke had fallen in love with.

When the class was finally over, Luke didn't move. He just looked through his notes one last time, and methodically packed his book bag. He wasn't exactly trying to avoid Grace, but he did just want some time to himself. Not that that was possible in school.

"Mr. Girardi, just the man I wanted to see." The teacher came over and stood by Luke. "I'm very interested in your science fair project. I'm sure that it will come up to your usual standard, well, your usual standard excluding the destruction of all the other projects." Luke blushed. "And I though I would give you that little extra incentive by telling you that the local admissions officer from MIT will be here for the fair. I've spoken to him in particular about you, so I though I'd warn you. Good luck then."

With that, the teacher swept out of the room, leaving Luke to his thoughts.

"Great, just great," Luke muttered to himself. "It's not like I'll even get a chance to go to MIT now." The Luke decided to do a very un-Luke-like thing and ditch for the rest of the day. He headed out through the back of the school, and walked off to the city library.

The science section there was deserted, but Luke still chose to sit on the floor, in the stacks, rather than sit at one of the tables. This was one of the only places Luke had found that he could really think; now his home had been invaded. He tried not to feel bitter, but it wasn't working at all. The frustration just kept building and building. Yes, he loved Grace, and yes he wanted this child. He just wanted a life too, and he could see that wasn't going to happen. He'd probably end up as a mechanic or something, not a scientist, and the $30 000 scholarship he already had to MIT from the Tri-Mathalon was useless. Everything he'd ever worked for was slipping away. It wasn't like he could do anything about it though, so he did what he always did. He went back to work.

He pulled the file with all his notes for the ultrasound scanner from his book bag and set them on the floor. He also grabbed a couple of books he'd been using from the library's shelves. He worked solidly for a couple of hours, refining the design and making notes on the operational uses. He used up the couple of spare sheets of paper he kept in the file, and had to dig around in his bag for some more. He pulled out his homework planner, and with it came one of the sonogram pictures from the last checkup. He just stared at it, and traced around the outline of the child. This was his life, he realized. It wasn't exactly what he planned, but it was what he had.

Joan had study hall last period and wasn't exactly thrilled about it. She had to sit behind a group of jocks, who never stopped talking and made it impossible to work. That meant Joan usually sat and daydreamed, but today she actually had to get some work done. So Joan decided to play the rebel and ditch last period. She headed home and found Grace already there on the couch, watching TV.

"Hey." Grace looked at Joan and did kind of a sarcastic half-wave. "Don't you have class?"

"Study hall. You?"

"Phys. Ed. Didn't want to sit and watch. You realize your Mom's going to throw a tantrum tonight, right?"

"Um, why? It's not like I haven't ditched study hall before."

"Yeah, but this time all three teenagers living under her roof ditched on the same afternoon."

"Luke ditched class!"

"Yeah, I know. I wanted to talk to the geek but I couldn't find him at lunch. Friedman told me he ditched right after Bio."

"God, that is so not like him, and also, ew. You talked to Friedman voluntarily?"

"I felt dirty afterwards." Grace paused. "Is your brother avoiding me?"

"Not that I noticed. He's just acting like his usual freak self. And what's with the whole angst, insecurity thing. Please don't tell me the pod person is back."

"Hey," Grace sat up and hurled a pillow from the couch at Joan. "Not funny, ok! It's driving me nuts. One minute I'm fine, the next I'm feeling all depressed and angsty. It's not fun, at all. And it's supposed to get worse."

"Well it's kind of ironic that your hormones are messing with you, seeing as it was 'hormones' that got you in this mess in the first place."

"Ok, first, was that supposed to be a joke? Sorry, but not funny. And secondly, like you can talk. Don't think I don't know what's happening when you're at Adam's house a couple of times a week 'doing homework.' I didn't know AP Biology was anatomy based."

Joan blushed bright red. "Uhh, umm."

"You're just lucky your dad hasn't figured out Mr. Rove is working nights at the moment."

"God, you're right. I think Mom knows though. Right after new years she gave me another one of the horribly embarrassing birth control talks. And the whole 'how relationships change after sex' talk. It was so bad."

"You're lucky. At least you got those talks from you mom. I got them from my dad, along with the 'sex before marriage is specifically against our religion, but you're so determined to rebel you're going to do it anyway and you'll be pregnant and alone by the time you graduate high school' talk. And I can't even do the indignant thing, because... Well look at me."

Joan couldn't help it, she started to laugh. Grace glared at her.

"I'm sorry, it's just that you look so..." Joan trailed off and stopped laughing as Grace bent over suddenly and clutched at her stomach.

"Oh, God, Grace! Is something wrong? Are you ok? Is it the baby?"

She looked at Grace, and saw that her friend had started to laugh.

"Oh, wow, that is so odd!" she half giggled in a totally un-Grace-like manner.

"What is it?" Joan looked at her friend like she was insane, which honestly, was quite possible.

"It's moving. I can feel the baby moving about. It's kind of like butterflies."

"Oh, wow!" Joan reached out to touch Grace's stomach.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Girardi?"

"Chill Grace. That's my niece or nephew in there."

"In there is right. Have you not heard of personal space?"

"You lost all rights to that when you did something as gross as sleeping with my little brother."

"It wasn't gross at all. It was kind of fun."

"Ok, eww, gross. C'mon Grace, please don't say things like that. You're gonna traumatize me for life."

The day of the science fair had finally arrived. Luke had been in a panic for the past three days and had been up almost all night trying to perfect their design. It was actually pretty cool. The pictures weren't as good as the one's from the doctor's office, but their demonstration, which involved looking at Luke's heart, was good. It was clear enough to see all the major structures and the blood flow, which Joan had declared totally gross.

It took Joan a while to set up their posters, but she was actually proud of what they had done. It was certainly better than her last science fair project. She had last entered the science fair in the 6th grade. She'd done a project on using worms in compost, and then had been way too grossed out to go near the worms at the science fair. She'd stood like three feet from her project at all times. Not a success.

It amazed her that she and Luke had gotten along enough to build the machine, or even that she'd been allowed to help build the machine. Ok, so she'd been limited to handing Luke the tools most of the time, but she still felt like she'd done this. Plus the posters had been mostly her. She was amazed that she'd actually been interested in what they were doing. It was possibly because she wanted the extra credit grade, but probably more that she wanted to see the scanner in action, on Grace's stomach, showing her her niece or nephew.

"Yo, Girardi," Grace called from behind them. Joan and Luke both turned around. "Not you nerdboy!"

Luke rolled his eyes and went back to hooking up the wires of the scanner to the monitor.

Grace stood there, arms crossed, glaring at Joan and Luke's stand.

"You built a sonogram machine?" Grace looked incredulous.

"No, we built an ultrasound scanner. A sonogram machine is an adapted version especially for the scanning of fetuses. An ultrasound scanner has many..."

Grace cut her off. "Ok, I get it. No need for the entire speech. Now can I ask why you built this 'ultrasound scanner'?"

Joan could hear the quotation marks in Grace's voice.

"You ditched Luke to work with Adam, I said I'd work with Luke, and it was the first thing we thought of." Grace looked skeptical. "Ok, so I might have gotten the idea from the sonogram picture my mom insists on keeping on the refrigerator. But relax. It's not like we're going to tell the entire school. I'm gonna demonstrate by scanning Luke's heart, not by dragging you up there."

Grace looked puzzled for a moment. "Why Luke's heart, not you?"

"Did you actually think I would take my shirt off in front of everyone?"

"He has to take his shirt off?" Grace almost yelled.

"Yeah, chill Grace. You get a clearer picture that way. We tried it with a shirt on, but it didn't work as well."

Grace grabbed Joan by the arm and almost dragged her back to Luke.

"There is no way my boyfriend is going to take his shirt off in front of the entire school!"

"Hey Grace, how's it going?" Luke ignored her and went back to setting up the machine.

"Are you kidding me? Geekboy, there is no way you're taking off your shirt."

"Ok, Grace. I know you want your project to go better than mine, but you can't stop us from demonstrating the scanner."

"And they call you a genius? Ok, Geekboy, take your mind back two nights, and now tell me why I don't want your shirt off in front of the school."

Luke thought for a moment, then turned bright red.

Joan suddenly got it. "Ok, eww. Thanks guys for that stunning mental image. But putting aside the fact I'm going to have to charge you two for my future shrink's bills, if we can't demonstrate on Luke, what're we going to do?"

"Why can't he test it on you?" Grace asked.

"Ok, yeah, because Price is going to let me take off my top in front of the school, even in the name of science."

"What about Adam?" Luke suggested.

This time it was Joan's turn to blush. "Um, I don't think that would be such a good idea."

"Ohh, right. I saw the hickey on his neck last week. He has them on his chest now?" Grace asked, relishing the chance to embarrass her friend. Joan just blushed harder.

"Do you have like a quota or something? Like if you don't embarrass or taunt enough people every day you don't feel complete?" Joan muttered. Luke and Grace just laughed.

"Ugh, your kid is going to be so twisted!" She paused, thinking. "Your kid! That's it!"

Grace instantly understood. "No way. Absolutely not."

"C'mon Grace. If you hadn't mauled Luke then this wouldn't be an issue. This is totally your fault. Besides, it's not like you're going to be able to hide it for much longer, even with those baggy clothes you're wearing."

"Are you saying I'm getting fat?" Grace sounded outraged.

"Sorry, but yeah, that's what I'm saying. Besides, think of how shocked everyone's going to be. You might even sent Price into cardiac arrest."

"Ok, as fun as that sounds, no way! I'm not sacrificing my dignity for you guys!"

"Please?" Luke sounded desperate. He leaned forward and whispered something into Grace's ear. She scowled, then smiled.

"Ugh, ok, fine. Whatever."

"Ok, please don't ever tell me what he said to you to make you agree, but thanks Grace."

"No problem. But let me stress that I'm going to be craving things at three am for the next month and one of you will go get what I want." Grace stepped forward menacingly. "Ok?"

"Deal."

Grace hung around glaring at Luke and Joan for a few more minutes, but eventually headed back to her own stand to make sure Adam had set up everything the way she wanted. They didn't see her again for another hour, just after the demonstrations began.

"Rove and I were up first. We're done, so I though I'd head over here and bug you guys 'til it's your turn. "

Luke dragged Grace out of Joan's earshot for a moment.

"You don't have to do this, you know."

"Luke, since when have I ever done anything because I had to. Your sister's right. I can't hide this much longer, so I might as well cause as much drama as possible. Plus," Grace pointed over to the corner. "Price is over there, and this is going to kill him." Grace smiled in a disturbingly evil manner.

"What is it with you and Price? I don't think I've ever seen anyone take as much pleasure from tormenting a teacher as you."

"He makes bullshit assumptions. He assumed Rove was a stoner. He still does, even though he's tested him every couple of months for the last four years and never found anything. It just pisses me off when people do that."

"Yeah, it pisses me off too." Luke paused. "You know none of the teachers like Price either. Mom was telling me there's a specific table in the faculty lounge where you go sit by if you want to bitch about Price. I think Mom ends up there at least once a week."

Grace smirked. She and Luke headed back to the stand where Joan instantly pulled Luke into a conversation about the changes she'd made to the presentation now they were doing a pregnancy scan and not a heart scan.

Eventually, it was Joan and Luke's turn. Joan did really well on the presentation. She avoided stumbling over words, didn't mispronounce anything and actually managed to explain about ultrasound scanning, it's uses and how they'd built their scanner. But it was the demonstration that was the hard part.

Luke took a deep breath and stepped forward. He could hardly switch on the machine; his hands were shaking so much.

"Uhm. As Joan explained, one of the major uses of ultrasound scanning is in medicine." Luke coughed to try and get rid of the wavering in his voice he was sure everyone could hear. "It's typically used in ECGs or Echocardiograms and in sonogram scanning of the abdomen. We're going to demonstrate this."

Grace stepped forward and smirked at Luke. This made him feel a little better, but only a little. She lay down on a massage table Joan had borrowed from one of the many friends she seemed to have that Luke had never met.

Grace tried to keep control of her breathing. She was just as scared as Luke. She was just hiding it better. This had seemed like a good idea a few minutes ago. Now it was just terrifying. Grace didn't like being scared. It made her feel weak and just too damn girlie. There was only one thing she could do, and that was go for it. She pulled her shirt up half way so her stomach was exposed.

All of the students and teachers watching just kind of stopped. The room was silent for a few moments while everyone took in what they were seeing. It was possibly the last thing anyone had expected.

"In order for the sound waves to conduct effectively, a gel is used." Luke quickly applied the gel to Grace's stomach. He wanted to get back in control as soon as possible. He noticed Grace flinch from the gel, which she still claimed felt like liquid nitrogen. This made him smile a little. Maybe this wasn't so bad. He sneaked a look over to where he knew Price was standing. The vice principal looked like he was about to pass out from shock. That made Luke smile even more.

Luke placed the scanning wand on Grace's belly. "As you can see, the sound waves bounce back off different density objects, providing the image." He motioned to the screen, where his child had appeared. "The fetus you can see is about 20 weeks old." It felt really odd talking about his child like this. "You can see there the head and you can just about see the facial features." Luke motioned to different things. "The spine is very clear in this, but it's actually clear on fetuses as young as eight weeks. That there is the heart which you can see beating." He leaned over to flip a switch on the monitor. A rushing sound appeared. "And that's the heartbeat you can hear."

Luke moved the wand around again so that everyone could see the baby moving its arms and legs. There was almost total silence. Everyone was still too surprised to talk.

Grace could see Adam standing a few feet away, with a broad grin on his face as he watched the monitor. The judges had a rapt look of concentration on their faces, but she supposed they were impressed. She looked back at the screen and saw the baby moving about. It was kind of odd to see it moving on the screen and feel it moving inside her at the same time.

Luke just stood there, kind of proud of what he'd achieved. He'd built this machine, and it worked really well. It was an impressive project and that made him feel pretty good. But all of that paled in comparison to what he felt when he looked at the screen. He'd done that too, and he wasn't exactly proud of it, but it was his child. There wasn't anything to compare to that depth of feeling.

Eventually the judges moved on to the next stand. The spell of silence seemed to be broken, and everyone started talking at once. Adam pushed his way over to the stand and put his arm around Joan's waist.

"Dude, that was so cool. You guys have to win."

Joan smiled at her boyfriend's enthusiasm. "I think we were kind of upstaged by the baby."

"Cha, of course. Did you see everyone's faces? I thought Price was going to fall over when he realized what was going on." Adam grinned. "It was pretty cool though, seeing it move and everything."

"Yeah, it was."

"Anyway, c'mon." Adam pulled Joan away from the stands and into a corner. He just stopped and looked at her.

Joan started to feel a little shy. "What?"

"You are so beautiful"

Joan turned pink. She leaned forward and kissed Adam softly on the lips.

"Jane, I love you, you know that right? And science fair's kind of special for us."

"The Kiss." Joan felt like it deserved capitalization.

Adam just smiled. "I just wanted to give you this." He handed Joan a small box. She opened it and inside was a ring. The ring. The ring she had seen at the mall. For once in her life, Joan was absolutely speechless.

"Oh God! Adam, it's perfect. How did you know?"

"I went to the store, and the assistant showed me some of the rings. I just liked it. Plus the assistant bugged me until I got that one."

Joan started laughing. "This assistant, what did he look like?"

"Tall guy, early thirties. Blonde hair, I think. Why?"

"That was Him. Like, you know who."

"It was?"

"Uh huh. I went in there after winter break and he told me to enter the science fair. I picked out that ring. That exact ring, but it was way too expensive. How the hell did you afford it?"

"Your mom gave me the names of a few people. I sold some sculptures."

"Yeah, like $1000 worth. Adam, you didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to."

Joan smiled and kissed him. She pulled the ring out of the box and slipped it onto the ring finger of her left hand. It fit perfectly.

Grace and Luke were sitting in the hall that had held the science fair. They had volunteered to clean up afterwards, wanting to avoid the inevitable questions for as long as possible. Luke had been folding and stacking chairs and tables, but Grace had been relegated to supervision and picking up bits of paper. She'd wanted to hit Luke when he'd insisted on this. She knew he was right, but it still made her mad.

Now they were done and they were just hiding out, talking.

"So?"

"Yeah. Kind of an odd day, huh?"

"I guess. It had to happen though. I'm turning into such a whale I'm gonna have to break out the actual maternity clothes soon, which sucks. I mean have you seen them? They all look like stuff my grandma would wear."

"They don't make maternity leather jackets then?"

Grace smacked her boyfriend on the arm.

"Hey! That's boyfriend abuse!"

Grace just raised an eyebrow.

"There was an admissions guy from MIT here today." Luke changed the subject.

"Yeah?"

"Mr. Roberts asked him to take a look at my project."

"That's great."

"Yeah, it is. I mean it's not like I'm going to be able to go or anything but..."

Luke stopped when Grace smacked his arm again.

"What?"

"You're an idiot."

"Probably."

"What do you mean you're not going?"

"You really think I'm going to leave you alone to take care of our child?"

"You're an idiot."

"You already said that."

"Dumbass. There's only going to be a problem if you don't go to MIT."

"Huh?"

"What college am I going to?"

"I don't know."

Grace smacked Luke's arm for a third time. "You're the only person I told and you don't remember?"

Luke looked blank.

"Harvard, dumbass. I got into Harvard."

"You did?"

"Yeah. I got in early acceptance about a week before I found out about this." Grace put her hand on her swollen belly. "I called the admissions office about a week ago and explained what was happening. They were actually pretty cool about it. They said it was fine to start a year later than I was supposed to. So if you get your ass into gear and get into MIT then we'll both be going to Cambridge at the same time. If you don't get in, however, I will kick your ass. I am not up for the whole single parenting while trying to study thing."

"I'll get in."

"You sound pretty confident." Grace smiled.

"Well, only a geek worthy of MIT would build his girlfriend a sonogram machine."

Grace smacked Luke again.

**The End**


	8. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Luke felt Grace shift next to him. He was lying on his back wish Grace curled up on her side next to him. Her stomach (which was by this point huge) was kind of resting on his abdomen. It had been a little uncomfortable the first time they'd slept like that, but when he'd been woken up by their child kicking him in the chest... That was just cool, so he put up with it. Besides, it was the only way Grace could sleep comfortably lately, and any guy would have to be crazy not to do exactly their pregnant girlfriend told them. It was like the law.

In fact it seemed that his entire family was doing exactly what Grace wanted. It had been three weeks since Grace had dragged herself into his room in the middle of the night protesting that if she couldn't sleep then he shouldn't be able to either since this was his "damn fault." She'd stolen his pillow, curled up next to him and promptly fallen fast asleep. He was left kind of in shock, a little uncomfortable and unreasonably glad she didn't snore.

Since then they'd been sharing a bed every night. And his parents didn't seem to mind. It was like Grace was a pod person that had brainwashed the entire Girardi family.

But to be truthful his mother had said something about the bed situation but had been swiftly silenced by Grace telling her that there was no way Luke was ever getting that close to her again. His dad had muttered something about "playing house" but the kept his mouth shut. Joan didn't seem to have an opinion, but that was because she was always either at Adam's house or Adam was at there house with his lips permanently attached to Joan's. And anytime anyone told them to quit it, Joan just snarked that they were getting married and could do what they wanted. Then she would spent 10 minutes showing you her ring until Adam whispered something in her ear and they'd go back to making out. If it weren't so annoying it would actually be kind of cute.

Luke was actually sleeping a lot better since he had Grace with him. He wasn't sure why, but he knew he would miss having her here once the baby was born and his parents made them go back to sleeping in separate rooms.

He reached up and rubbed his hand across Grace's belly.

"Hey baby," he whispered to his child. "You're quiet tonight. You giving Mommy a rest, huh?"

He didn't speak like that all the time because it bugged the heck out of Grace. But when Grace was asleep he could be the stereotypical soppy geek. Except...

"No Geek boy, there is no rest for 'Mommy'. It's called the kid not being able to move due to the fact it's going to be making an appearance in a few hours," Grace said sleepily.

"What!" Luke almost leapt out of bed. "You're... I mean..."

"I'm in labor? Pretty much."

"Then we have to leave! We have to get to the hospital."

Grace snorted. "Geek, chill ok. We have a while yet, and I'm not going to that place until I absolutely have to."

"Grace!" Luke's voice was strangled with panic.

"No. When it hurts enough that I want the drugs, then we go. Or when the contractions hit less that seven minutes apart, whichever comes first."

Grace pulled her boyfriend back onto the bed and curled up against him again. "I'm getting some sleep while I can dude. Because you know we're not getting any for the next six months, right?"

They actually managed to hold off on the hospital until 6.45 the next morning, when, according to Grace it hurt way too much not to be on a serious amount of drugs. They were in the delivery room for hours. Grace had been given an epidural anesthetic so it actually wasn't that painful. It was just taking a long time. After 17 hours of labor, Grace was still only 9 centimeters dilated.

Things finally kicked off at around six that evening. Grace almost broke Luke's hand when the contractions got really strong, and it was kind of gross and messy. But when it was over, it was totally worth it. 20 hours of labor had produced a beautiful little girl.

They let Luke cut the cord and it was one of the most magical experiences of his life. And once their daughter was cleaned up a little and weighed and measured they handed her to an exhausted Grace.

"You are so never getting near to me ever again. That was way to painful to even think about doing ever again."

Luke just smiled as his tiny daughter opened her eyes and tried to focus on the world around her.

"She's so beautiful. She had blue eyes just like you. And look at her little hands."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Are you even listening to me, Nerd boy?"

"Grace! Could you please quit that! I'm not sure how I'll explain why my daughter calls me Nerd boy and not Daddy."

"Whatever dude.

"So what we gonna call her?" Grace changed the subject quickly.

"I don't know. You told me not to think about it."

"I don't know either. I was thinking maybe Helen after your mom, but not as a first name."

"She'd like that." Luke paused. "How about Amelia after Amelia Earhart."

Grace smiled. "I think I kind of like that. Amelia Helen Polk Girardi."

"And we can call her Mia for short."

Grace groaned. "I know I shouldn't have let Joan talk us into watching that damn chick movie."

"Grace it's called the Princess Diaries and you cried."

"I was eight months pregnant, I cried at everything. It won't happen again."

"So Mia then?"

"If you insist."

"Mia Girardi. I like it."


End file.
